MIDDLE EAST: Israel frees 26 Palestinian prisoners in the second stage of a move designed to help U.S.-sponsored peace talks

Record ID: 863480

  • Title: MIDDLE EAST: Israel frees 26 Palestinian prisoners in the second stage of a move designed to help U.S.-sponsored peace talks
  • Date: 30th October 2013
  • Summary: EREZ CROSSING, ISRAEL (OCTOBER 30, 2013) (REUTERS) (NIGHTSHOTS) EREZ CROSSING BETWEEN ISRAEL AND GAZA SIGN READING IN ARABIC, ENGLISH AND HEBREW 'WELCOME TO EREZ CROSSING' VARIOUS OF VEHICLES CARRYING PRISONERS GOING THROUGH CROSSING EREZ CROSSING, GAZA (OCTOBER 30, 2013) (REUTERS) (NIGHTSHOTS) EREZ CROSSING AS SEEN FROM GAZA SIDE GATES OPENING AS PRISONERS ENTERING THROUGH FATAH FLAGS PALESTINIANS CARRYING PRISONER PALESTINIANS RUNNING TOWARD CROSSING VARIOUS OF PRISONERS EMBRACING FAMILY BETUNYA CROSSING, WEST BANK (OCTOBER 30, 2013) (REUTERS) (NIGHTSHOTS) VEHICLES CARRYING PRISONERS ENTERING BETUNYA CROSSING TO RAMALLAH PEOPLE CHANTING FOR PRISONERS ISRAELI ARMY FIRING WATER TOWARD PEOPLE GATHERING AT CROSSING
  • Embargoed: 14th November 2013 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Gaza, Israel, West bank
  • City:
  • Country: Palestinian Territories
  • Topics: Crime,General,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVACZH78CPJWOYW5OKJCRQ50RBVA
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: Israel freed 26 Palestinian prisoners on Wednesday (October 30), the second stage of a limited amnesty designed to help U.S.-sponsored peace talks that have been dogged by divisions on both sides.
    The inmates, convicted of murder in the killing of Israelis before or just after interim accords were signed two decades ago, were bussed from jail at midnight to heroes' welcomes awaiting them in the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
    Hundreds of Palestinians waited for hours at the Erez crossing with the Gaza Strip for the 5 prisoners from the coastal territory, while hundreds of others waited at the Betunya crossing for the 21 prisoners headed for the West Bank.
    Israeli forces sprayed at the crowds with water canons in an attempt to keep them away from the busses carrying the released prisoners.
    Though thousands of their compatriots remain in Israeli custody, the releases could help the credibility of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's engagement with the Jewish state, which is scorned by his Islamist Hamas rivals who control Gaza.
    Negotiations between Abbas's administration and Israel resumed in Washington in July after a three-year halt.
    Held in secret, they have done little to reassure Palestinians who worry about Jewish settlement of the West Bank or Israelis who doubt Abbas could hold Hamas to any future peace agreement.
    In all, 104 long-serving inmates will go free. A first group of 26 were let out in August as part of understandings reached during shuttle diplomacy by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who set a 9-month framework for the negotiations.
    Wednesday's release opened fissures in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's rightist government. A pro-settler coalition partner, the Jewish Home party, openly backed calls by Israelis bereaved or wounded in Palestinian attacks to cancel the amnesty. An appeal against it lodged with Israel's Supreme Court was overruled on Tuesday evening, however.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2013. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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