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Pro-Hamas women march for prisoners

Palestinian women supporters of Hamas chant slogans during a demonstration calling for the release of Hamas members who have been jailed by the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank city of Ramallah on Saturday. PHOTO: AP

Hundreds of female Hamas supporters, some fully veiled, marched on Saturday to demand the release of members of the Islamic militant group from Palestinian jails.

The protest was the first during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan held by Hamas loyalists in the West Bank, which is ruled by rival group Fatah. Previous protests in support of Hamas have ended in violence.

Palestinian police formed a chain to prevent the women, some covering their faces and others wearing headscarves and long coats, from gathering in Ramallah's main square, where protests traditionally converge.

Protesters gathered in a side street, chanting "God is great," and waving Palestinian flags.

They also heaped verbal abuse at police, which included a contingent "morality police," newly formed to ensure public observance of the dawn-to-dusk fast during Ramadan.

Police said one of the women also attacked a security official, sending him to a hospital. Police said they tried to disperse the protest because it was not licensed.

Sabah Katalouni, 41, said her husband, a 50-year-old municipal official, was arrested on Friday after security officials broke into their house and fired in the air. Katalouni said pro-Fatah officials beat her husband and her son.

"They are oppressors," she said of Fatah.

The women said some 700 Hamas loyalists have been arrested in the West Bank since Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip by force in June, and that some 150 still remain in jail without charge.

Palestinian human rights groups have said some Hamas loyalists were harshly beaten during arrests.

Ashraf Ajrami, a minister in the pro-Fatah West Bank government said the numbers of arrested were "exaggerated" but declined to provide specific numbers.

Meanwhile, Israel agreed yesterday to free another 90 Palestinian prisoners to try to bolster Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas ahead of a US-sponsored conference on Palestinian statehood, officials said. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's Cabinet approved the release in principle after about a two-week delay.
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