Posted on 08/06/2003 3:26:31 AM PDT by yonif
Buses carrying 339 Palestinian detainees are making their way from prisons to five checkpoints where the men will be handed over to the Palestinian Authority later today.
The first bus of 16 left Ketziot prison, south of Beersheba, at 7 a.m. Other buses have left the Megiddo prison in the North. The release is set for 2:30 p.m. at various checkpoints. A military source said no changes have been made regarding either the schedule or the number of prisoners to be set free today.
"The release is going smoothly," the source said.
The convoys, under heavy police guard to prevent disruptions, are to deliver the prisoners to five crossing points, four in the West Bank and one in the Gaza Strip. An additional 99 prisoners will be released at a later date, senior security sources said. They include 50 who were sentenced for criminal activity and 49 who were detained for being in Israel without a permit.
Security sources said the 339 Palestinians to be released include 182 security prisoners currently serving their terms and 157 administrative detainees. The list includes one woman. Security officials insisted none were involved in lethal attacks on Israelis.
"This release represents a powerful and realistic gesture of Israel's intention to follow the road map and secure a lasting peace with the Palestinians," the source said. "We have every intention to make sure that both the Palestinian people and the world public see that Israel is upholding its part of the peace process."
Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas canceled a meeting with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon planned for Wednesday to protest the list of prisoners to be released.
Bassam Abu Sharif, an adviser to PA Chairman Yasser Arafat, called the planned release a "joke," which he said proves "Sharon is not serious about implementing the road map."
Former PA cabinet minister Saeb Erekat said Israel had ignored the PA s demand that prisoners who were arrested before the signing of the Oslo Accords get priority.
Abu Sharif said serious American mediation efforts are under way to reinstate the Abbas-Sharon meeting. He did not rule out the two would meet before Abbas leaves for Saudi Arabia and the Persian Gulf on Thursday.
An aide to Abbas also said the meeting would eventually take place, but it would be delayed until Abbas returns from the Gulf.
The IDF has put military prisons on high alert to thwart any attempted riots.
Each prisoner will be obligated to sign a form promising not to be involved in any further terrorist activity against Israel.
Anyone who refuses to sign it will be returned to prison, said a senior IDF officer.
The senior officer said the army is treating the release as a military operation and has taken a number of precautions to deal with all possible scenarios. Each convoy will be escorted by police vehicles and will include ambulances. A central command center will coordinate the entire process.
Possible scenarios include attempts by Israelis to disrupt the convoys or even harm the prisoners, or that the prisoners may cause problems.
Security forces have been put on alert at the five distribution points to prevent any rallies or protests from getting out of control.
"We have answers for all the scenarios and will know how to react as necessary," the senior IDF officer told reporters.
The IDF has taken pains to ensure that the prisoner release will receive full media coverage. Families of the prisoners are expected to greet them at the crossings, and the IDF hopes they will be joined by representatives of the PA who will ensure their return.
The plan is for all the convoys to arrive simultaneously at the five crossing points. Shortly before reaching the crossing points, however, the buses will halt and the handcuffs will be removed.
The largest number of prisoners, 103, will be freed at the Turkamiya roadblock. Another 70 will be released at Tulkarm, and 70 more at Beitunya, southwest of Ramallah. Sixty-eight will be released at the Salem roadblock near Jenin, and 28 are to be set free at the Erez crossing in the GazaStrip.
The list was not coordinated with the Palestinians, who have called it disappointing, as it contains few long-serving detainees.
Others greeted the release with skepticism, saying the bulk of the prisoners were due to be released shortly anyway.
"For me as a father, I hope that all the prisoners are released and not just Hussein," said Salman Abu Eid, whose son, Hussein Salman Abu Eid, was to be freed after serving 13 years of a 15-year sentence for belonging to Islamic Jihad.
Lamia Lahoud contributed to this report.
Family members of terrorist victims will be at several of the checkpoints, to protest the release of the terrorists. They say that the only difference between terrorists with blood on their hands and those being released today is that the latter "missed - but will try again."The J-Post article said that none of those released today were involved in lethal attacks. All have signed promised not to get involved in terrorist attacks. If they are caught doing so, presumably their penalties will be harsher.
This is a good first step in the process. It should be noted that INN is unequivocally opposed to said process.
-Eric
So? The INN article states the same. But it adds that a lot of those being released ARE MEMBERS in terrorist organizations. They will commit terror attacks when they have a chance. An Israeli parliament member said that prisoner releases in the past have brought upon 1 in 9 of those being released to commit terrorism.
This is a good first step in the process. It should be noted that INN is unequivocally opposed to said process.
What process? The Roadmap? The roadmap says nothing about prisoner releases in it.
Great....more terrorists walking the streets...this a great move. [/sarcasm]
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