Israel frees Lebanese, Palestinian prisoners
Regional-Israel, Politics, 12/27/1999

Israel on Sunday freed five Lebanese prisoners after they had spent ten years in the Israeli jails under tough conditions of physical and psychological tortures.

The freed Lebanese prisoners include Ahmad Hassan Srour (32) from occupied Eita al-Jabal town. He was arrested with two of his brothers, Abbas and Abdul Hassab, in 1987, and the three were sentenced to three years imprisonment. His fourth brother, Khalil, has been held in Khiam detention center for two months. The prison sentence against Ahmad ended nine years ago, yet he was kept in the Israeli jail.

The second freed Lebanese prisoner is Kamal Muhammad Rizq (29) from the occupied Meis al-Jabal. He was arrested in 1986 and was sentenced for three years, and his imprisonment ended after more than 10 years.

The third is Hashem Ahmad Fahis (32), and the fourth is Ahmad Hikmet Obeid (31). Both are from Jibsheit. They were kidnapped with Sheikh Abdul Karim Obeid in an Israeli operation in 1989 and spent their imprisonment period (without trial) with Sheikh Obeid in Sarafanr prison.

The fifth freed Lebanese prisoner is Hussein Muhammad Tleis (40) from Breita in the Western Bekaa. He was arrested in 1989 and taken to the occupied territories together with another five Lebanese youths and was never tried.

The five free prisoners were held in al-Ramlah prison.

Meanwhile, the Israeli mini-Cabinet for political military affairs decided on Sunday to release a group of Palestinian prisoners, according to the Sharm El- Sheikh agreement. The group includes 26 nonpolitical prisoners, who were also not convicted of killing or wounding Israelis, and citizens of occupied Jerusalem. The Israeli mini-Cabinet also recommended that Israeli President Ezer Weizman study the possibility of pardoning another six security prisoners from occupied Jerusalem.

The Israeli ministerial council reacted positively to the request made by the Palestinian government to release Maher Abu Oaf, who was convicted to lifelong imprisonment over killing Israeli taxi driver Ahzkil Mizrahi and for killing five Palestinians for collaboration with the Israeli authorities. Israel has also decided to release Mahmoud al-Qawasmeh, who was convicted of killing Palestinians, according to the Israeli mini-Cabinet.

The official in the Palestinian government in charge of the issue of prisoners, Hisham Abdul Razzaq, described the decision of the Israeli mini-Cabinet as "cynical and not logical."

He stated that Israel has refused the request made by the Palestinians to supervise the question of defining the number of detainees to be freed or to define the special criteria for releasing them.

He said, "What was said in Israel concerning releasing a new group of captives according to the Sharm El-Sheikh agreement's note is nothing but a unilateral declaration." He added that the Palestinian side has not been officially informed of this matter, saying that Israel thinks that releasing a new group of captives is subject to its decision only."

Meanwhile, the Israeli occupation forces arrested on Sunday five young Palestinian men from al-Jalazoun camp, in Ramallah in the West Bank under the pretext of throwing stones at Israeli cars while passing near the camp.

Previous Stories:
  Arafat, Barak meet in secret   (12/22/1999)
  Israel to release Palestinian prisoners during Ramadan   (12/13/1999)
  Israel continues besieging Lebanese town   (11/30/1999)

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