Dec 03: Israeli Prisons Authority today freed as many as 429 Palestinian captive from different Israeli jails early in the morning near the border of Israel, where relatives of the detainees were waiting with lots of hope, joy and tears. Most of the detainees were the followers of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who is also the leader of Fatah Movement as witness told to the reporters.
According to witnesses, who were waiting for viewing the emotional scene of unification of the captives and their relatives told media, “Several full-loaded busses from Palestinian prisoners arrived here nearby 7 O’clock at Bitounia Crossing. The Israeli forces released the prisoners one by one.”
Bitounia Crossing is the border of Ramallah and Jerusalem in the West Bank, where Abbas army forces received the captives and handed over to their relatives. “The release program delayed for 3 hours as per decided schedule”, said Israeli army spokes person. The schedule was decided at 4:00 am but due to some reason, it became late.
“All the released prisoners are followers Abbas’s Fatah Movement and most of them are the residents of West Bank while only 16 are from Gaza Strip”, added spokesperson.
The relatives of the prisoners were waving Palestinian flags and carried pictures of President Abbas and late leader Yasser Arafat.
Israel had made this decision to make a good gesture towards Palestinian authority who are fighting with Hamas, the rival of Fatah movement and at present ruling over controversial Gaza strip. Another big reason behind this release seems to join Annapolis peace conference that was held last week in Annapolis-Maryland in the United States, says political analysts.
According to Israeli authority sources, ‘Hamas’ is the biggest danger for them and for the whole world that has announced to ruin Israel and Fatah is also fighting with Hamas to capture the Gaza Strip from them, which was earlier the part of it.
“The released prisoners would strengthen the Fatah Group as confronting with them”, said Israeli spokes person.
Israel had already released more than 250 Palestinian detainees in July and another 86 in October, but approximately 1,000 Palestinian are still behind the bar in Israel, who had been caught during the long war against both countries.
Earlier, Annapolis summit Palestinian President Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert became agree to work together toward a Palestinian state over the next year. Here also Abbas had asked to free around 2000 jail prisons. Abbas with political backing from US and international support aims to strengthen his struggle against Hamas, which is denying Israeli’s existence and also seized Gaza Stripe last June.
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