Israel sets 73 Palestinian prisoners free

Palestinian children light candles during a protest calling for the release of thousands of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails in Gaza City on Thursday. PHOTO: REUTERS

Israel began freeing 73 Palestinian prisoners yesterday, a gesture to a US-backed "road map" peace plan under threat with a ceasefire fraying and Israel continuing to hunt militants.

Two minivans left Damon prison near the northern Israeli city of Haifa and delivered prisoners to checkpoints in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, where they were released after a three-day delay caused by two Palestinian suicide bombings.

Israel also arrested more suspected militants overnight and Palestinian militant groups dismissed the release as a sham.

There is no reference to prisoner releases in the road map, which calls for reciprocal moves toward a Palestinian state by 2005 in the West Bank and Gaza. But the road map draws on a previous plan requiring Israel to free prisoners who have "no association with terrorist activities."

A Prison Service spokeswoman said the 73 had been imprisoned for minor crimes like theft or illegal entry into Israel. Around 330 were freed on August 6, including militants but none held for roles in violence.

Many of 6,000 Palestinians held in Israel were rounded up for alleged militant activity and are seen by the Palestinian public as heroes of their cause. Palestinian officials want all prisoners freed to boost popular support for the road map.

"I was to have been released in 15 days anyway. What about the people who have been jailed for many years?" said Jadallah Ibrahim Sawarqa after he left a prison bus at a checkpoint.

Leaders of militant groups that launched an uprising in 2000 dismissed yesterday's release, like that of August 6.

"This is a gesture of bad will," said Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi of Hamas, a group sworn to Israel's destruction and responsible for dozens of suicide bombings. "What's needed is the release of all political detainees and not just dozens of criminal ones."

Israel rules out releasing prisoners with "blood on their hands." It has said more releases are likely but has not committed to a timetable.

The army said it arrested nine suspected militants in raids overnight. In the West Bank city of Qalqilya, witnesses said Israeli gunfire critically wounded a Palestinian bystander during one of the raids.

Israeli troops killed a Palestinian militant commander in a gun battle on Thursday, drawing vows of revenge from militant groups.

Israel says it has the right to conduct such operations until Palestinian authorities start disarming and breaking up militant groups, a key requirement of the road map.

In Nablus, Israeli forces demolished a three-storey apartment building that was home to 15 relatives of a Palestinian militant who attacked a Jewish settlement in May and was killed in a gunbattle with Israeli troops.

The army has a policy of demolishing the family residences of militants who attack Israelis. Palestinians condemn the practise as collective punishment.

After the road map was launched on June 4, Israeli forces withdrew from the West Bank city of Bethlehem and parts of Gaza, restoring security control to the Palestinian authorities, who obtained self-rule under interim deals a decade ago.

Palestinian Security Minister Mohammed Dahlan met Israeli Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz on Thursday to propose further handovers, but they did not reach agreement. An Israeli security source said Mofaz pressed for a crackdown on militants.