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Israel to release 400 light-term Palestinian prisoners

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Al-Khalil, Jan 27, IRNA -- Israel on Tuesday released the names of 400
Palestinian prisoners who are due to be freed Thursday as part of the 
prisoner swap deal with the Lebanese Islamic resistance group 
Hizbullah. 
The list, announced by the Israeli Prison Authority, includes 
scores of "administrative detainees," those Palestinians interned 
without charge or trial on suspicion of "posing a threat to security."
The list also includes some 300 prisoners whose prison terms are 
due to expire with a period ranging from a few days or weeks to two 
years. 
Fatma Natshe, a spokeswoman for the Ramallah-based Prisoner Club, 
a quasi-governmental agency pointed out that as many as 60 prisoners 
out of the 400 to be released were merely "detainees." 
Natshe, like other Palestinians, praised Hizbullah for forcing 
Israel to release Lebanese and Arab prisoners from Israeli custody. 
"I think Hizbullah did all it could to help the Palestinians. We 
have no complaints against Hizbullah." 
Meanwhile, many Palestinian families are voicing the hope that 
many more "real prisoners" will be freed as part of the second stage 
of the prisoner exchange deal. 
"We are very hopeful that Hizbullah will insist that many 
prisoners with long terms be released by Israel in the next phase of 
the swap. We salute Hizbullah and its leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrullah. 
May God increase the likes of him," said Muhammed Abudl Qader Qazzaz, 
of Dura, whose son Amjad is due to be released Thursday. 
"The man succeeded where all Arab leaders failed. I salute this 
man," he added. 
NK/210 
End