Abbas orders release of Hamas detainees in West Bank

Date: 22 / 06 / 2009  Time:  09:37
Bethlehem – Ma’an –

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has ordered Palestinian Authority (PA) security services to release a number of Hamas detainees from prisons within the next few days.

Head of Fatah Palestinian Legislative Council bloc Azzam Al-Ahmed stated that the instructions were for Hamas members detained on the pretext of security.

He explained that this step is aimed at laying groundwork for the success of the Palestinian national dialogue brokered by Egypt, which is expected to be held on 7 July.

The PA security forces released 20 Hamas detainees last week after reconciliation committees simultaneously met in Gaza and the West Bank in an attempt to pave the ground for the talks' success.

Ma'an has learned that the PA will release dozens of Hamas detainees on Monday (20 to 30). A legal committee was formed to study the files and then recommend the release of each detainee whose documents ensure he did not violate Palestinian law.

The sources told Ma'an that Abbas will not violate rules, since a number of those activists were detained for violating public laws and benefited from being members in affiliated brigades, and that militants will not be included in this presidential order.

For its part, the Hamas movement described Abbas' order to study the detainees' cases as a positive step forward, but insisted on more practical actions.

Spokesperson for Hamas Fawzi Barhoum told Ma'an that Hamas will deal positively with any step aimed at ending the political detention issue, explaining that it is early to judge Abbas' order, "since we haven't seen any of those detainees out yet."

He added that they want all detainees to be released "to finish that issue forever," as it is one of the dialogue's requirements that all factions agreed on in Cairo.

President Abbas orders the release of Hamas detainees

Monday June 22, 2009 11:02 by Rami Almeghari - IMEMC&Agencies

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of Fat'h ordered Monday release of all Hamas detainees by reconsidering each single case, the Palestinian Maan News Agency reported

Maan said that head of the Fatah parliamentary bloc, Azzam Al-Ahmad, confirmed that Abbas's orders include release of all Hamas detainees , except those who ' pose a threat to public security'.

" This move is intended to pave the atmosphere for the upcoming national unity talks in Cairo", al-Ahmad was quoted as saying.

In addition to a recent release of 20 Hamas detainees, the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank will set free today 20 to 30 others. Yet, the PA won’t release all those involved in law breaching, including those affiliated with Fatah.

The ruling Hamas party in Gaza has demanded that all of its detainees in West Bank prisons of the PA should be released as a perquisite for success of Cairo talks. Cairo is expected to push both parties to a conciliation agreement by July7.

Both parties have been at loggerheads since Hamas won parliamentary elections in 2006. In February2007, they formed a unity government , yet four months later infighting broke out in Gaza, with Hamas ousting Fatah-allied PA forces and seizing control of the territory. Abbas outlawed Hamas and formed a caretaker government in the West Bank.