WEST BANK/GAZA: Relatives of Fatah prisoners welcome Israel's decision to release 250

Record ID: 784050

  • Title: WEST BANK/GAZA: Relatives of Fatah prisoners welcome Israel's decision to release 250
  • Date: 26th June 2007
  • Summary: VARIOUS OF AL-ATRASH FAMILY, AFFILIATED WITH HAMAS, WATCHING EGYPTIAN SUMMIT ON TELEVISION
  • Embargoed: 11th July 2007 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVAAANVDCI1QS6QGFVQ9VT5NB89E
  • Story Text: Relatives of Palestinian prisoners in Israel welcome Israeli Prime Minister Olmert's gesture to release 250 Fatah members, but reject the distinction between that faction and Hamas. Relatives of Palestinian prisoners in Israel welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's announcement on Monday (June 25) that he would release 250 Fatah members, but said other prisoners should also be released.
    At a news conference in Egypt with the Palestinian, Egyptian and Jordanian leaders, Olmert said a new opportunity had been created to promote the Middle East peace process and that he would not let that opportunity pass.
    Abbas sacked a Palestinian unity government led by Hamas and formed an emergency administration of his own in the occupied West Bank after Hamas Islamists, who are shunned by Israel, seized control of the Gaza Strip just over a week ago.
    Israel holds about 10,000 Palestinians in its jails.
    In the West Bank city of Hebron relatives of Palestinian prisoners who are jailed in Israel, demanded the release of both Fatah and Hamas inmates.
    "I wish for my son and all the prisoners an immediate release -- for both Fatah (members) and non-Fatah. What does 250 prisoners out of many thousands of prisoners mean? I hope they will release all the prisoners," said the mother of prisoner Ibarahim Attiyeh who is affiliated with Abbas's Fatah.
    Attiyeh's brother said: "As a start, this is a good initiative, but it is not enough. As you know, there are more than 10,000 prisoners in the Israeli prisons from all factions of Fatah, Hamas and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. I hope they don't differentiate between factions. And the initiative should include all the prisoners whether from Fatah or Hamas and the number should be more than that."
    Shaher Jibril Ahmad al-Atrash of Khan Younis in Gaza, is affiliated with Hamas and many of his family members are held in Israel. He rejected Israel's distinction between the factions.
    "I say that the sons of Fatah and the sons of Hamas are all our sons, but why is there a differentiation? Why do Abu Mazen (Mahmoud Abbas) and Olmert differentiate? What is behind this differentiation?" said Atrash.
    In addition to promising to free the 250 prisoners in Abbas's secular Fatah faction, Olmert said he would ease travel restrictions in the West Bank, but he offered no details.
    Hamas gunmen trained near Khan Younis on Monday.
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