More than 300 Palestinian prisoners were freed on Wednesday, as part of what Israel described a "a good-will measure" and the Palestinian Authority termed "inadequate." The prisoners were handed over to the PA at four West Bank checkpoints and one in Gaza Strip, where families gave them a welcome home.
The 339 prisoners were taken by bus to the checkpoints nearest their home addresses. A Palestinian taxi carried some of the men from Israel's Erez checkpoint into the Gaza Strip, where they emerged and kissed the ground. Minutes later, several more prisoners were freed at Beitunya junction near Ramallah, and several busloads of detainees also arrived at Tarqumiya checkpoint in the southern West Bank.
Another 99 prisoners, mostly criminals and Palestinians who were caught without work permits inside Israel, will be released over the coming days.
The Palestinians are expected to use the release to highlight the plight of thousands more still in Israeli custody. The Palestinians want to see thousands of Palestinians freed and say many of those released Wednesday were near the end of their prison sentences.
A senior Palestinian minister dismissed Wednesday's release of prisoners, saying it was "a theatrical step to appease Washington." Yasser Abed Rabbo said "It is worthless and meaningless." "It is a theatrical step to appease Washington."
The head of the Palestinian Prisoners' Club in the West Bank, Khaleda Jarar, told the AP almost half the prisoners being freed were administrative detainees held without charge. Of the remaining prisoners serving sentences, she said, 80 percent were in the final year of their terms.
Before leaving prison facilities, the 339 signed a document vowing that they will not undertake "illegal activities" against Israel in the future.
PA leader Yasser Arafat expressed dissatisfaction Monday with the scheduled prisoner release. "They say they are going to release 400, and then they turn around and arrest 800," Arafat told reporters. "What is this? Is this deception? Are they deceiving nations?"
Meanwhile, the Israeli army arrested 18 Palestinian security officers in the Palestinian city of Jericho, a Palestinian security official said, according to AFP.
A column of around 20 jeeps and armored personnel carriers advanced 500 meters into Maghtas street in downtown Jericho, the report added. The street is located near a training camp for Force 17 -- an elite security unit attached to Palestinian president, Yasser Arafat.
A curfew was imposed and Israeli troops detained 18 Palestinians in house-to-house searches, local commander of the Palestinian national security forces Munjib Zeidan told AFP.
He said 15 of those arrested were members of the Palestinian security and protection force. (Albawaba.com)
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
