Israel frees Palestinian prisoners

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Source: CCTV.com | 12-04-2007 08:37

Released Palestinian prisoners are greeted by relatives as they arrive at the Beitouniya Checkpoint in the West Bank after their release from an Israeli jail, Monday, Dec. 3, 2007.  (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)

Israel has released 429 Palestinian prisoners, most of them are supporters of their president's Fatah movement.

The move was a goodwill gesture to strengthen the leadership of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

The prisoners were given a joyous welcome as they arrived at military checkpoints in the West Bank and Gaza.

The Israeli prison service said it sent 408 to the West Bank and 21 to Gaza, most of them from President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement.

Israel is holding about 9-thousand prisoners and their freedom is a key Palestinian demand.

Monday's release, the third since July, was intended to strengthen Palestinian leadership and reinforce the peace process.

Palestinians hold pictures of prisoners held in Israeli jails during a protest calling for their release inside the Red Cross office in Gaza City, November 2007. (AFP/File/Mohammed Abed)

Mark Regev, Israeli Government Spokesman, said, "Today's release is designed to bolster moderate Palestinian leadership, and to reinforce the peace process. We understand in Israel that it is very important to strengthen the political dialogue through practical and concrete steps on the ground, And today's release is exactly such a step."

In Gaza City, a Hamas spokesman welcomed Monday's releases.

Fauzi Barhoum, Hamas spokesman, said, "All the political efforts from the international community and all the Palestinian efforts until now failed to liberate the prisoners and detainees and finally we support all type of resistance in order to liberate them."

Monday's release takes the total number freed since July to 770.

Abbas' government has asked for the release of 2,000 prisoners -- so far Israel has refused.

Palestinian prisoners flash the victory sign from a bus window pending their release from Ketziot prison camp in southern Israel's Negev desert. (AFP/Jack Guez)

Editor:Zhang Pengfei