23 nov 2016

The Israeli president Rueven Rivlin said he will appeal to the Turkish Head of State, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, to release the Israeli soldiers held captive by Hamas in Gaza.
Speaking with the Israeli radio, Rivlin said he had appealed in earlier occasions to the Turkish President to retrieve the bodies of the two Israeli soldiers Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin.
He added that he will resume talks to that very end with the newly-tapped Turkish Ambassador within the next few weeks.
Speaking with Israel’s Channel 2 a couple of days earlier, Erdogan responded to a question about the Israeli soldiers held captive by Hamas by stating that thousands of Palestinians are locked up in Israeli jails and that an exchange should be negotiated to release the detainees.
Erdogan further expressed his readiness to broker prisoner swap negotiations should Israel show a readiness to free the Palestinian captives.
He said the Israelis should rather negotiate with Hamas—the people’s elect—after they failed to reach a deal with the Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas following decades of stalled peace talks.
The Turkish President also dismissed categorizing Hamas as a terrorist organization, calling it an elected political party and a national movement born out of a legitimate struggle for liberation.
A few months earlier, Hamas armed wing—the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades—released photos of four Israeli soldiers held captive by the group and said it will not reveal further details “for free.”
Speaking with the Israeli radio, Rivlin said he had appealed in earlier occasions to the Turkish President to retrieve the bodies of the two Israeli soldiers Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin.
He added that he will resume talks to that very end with the newly-tapped Turkish Ambassador within the next few weeks.
Speaking with Israel’s Channel 2 a couple of days earlier, Erdogan responded to a question about the Israeli soldiers held captive by Hamas by stating that thousands of Palestinians are locked up in Israeli jails and that an exchange should be negotiated to release the detainees.
Erdogan further expressed his readiness to broker prisoner swap negotiations should Israel show a readiness to free the Palestinian captives.
He said the Israelis should rather negotiate with Hamas—the people’s elect—after they failed to reach a deal with the Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas following decades of stalled peace talks.
The Turkish President also dismissed categorizing Hamas as a terrorist organization, calling it an elected political party and a national movement born out of a legitimate struggle for liberation.
A few months earlier, Hamas armed wing—the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades—released photos of four Israeli soldiers held captive by the group and said it will not reveal further details “for free.”
22 nov 2016

The Israeli prison authority unjustifiably transferred prisoner Nael al-Barghouthi, known as the dean of the Palestinian prisoners, from Negev jail to Ramon prison on Monday evening.
A human rights source told the Palestinian Information Center (PIC) that the transfer of Barghouthi to another prison was a punitive measure taken against him for an unknown reason.
59-year-old Barghouthi, from Kobar town in Ramallah, was one of those prisoners who obtained their freedom in 2011 as part of the swap deal between the Palestinian resistance in Gaza and Israel before he was rejailed again in June 2014.
He was supposed to be released on November 6, but his jailers did not want to see him out of jail and filed an objection in this regard, which was approved by an Israeli court.
He is considered the longest-serving Palestinian prisoner in Israeli jails, where he has spent a total of 36 years.
A human rights source told the Palestinian Information Center (PIC) that the transfer of Barghouthi to another prison was a punitive measure taken against him for an unknown reason.
59-year-old Barghouthi, from Kobar town in Ramallah, was one of those prisoners who obtained their freedom in 2011 as part of the swap deal between the Palestinian resistance in Gaza and Israel before he was rejailed again in June 2014.
He was supposed to be released on November 6, but his jailers did not want to see him out of jail and filed an objection in this regard, which was approved by an Israeli court.
He is considered the longest-serving Palestinian prisoner in Israeli jails, where he has spent a total of 36 years.
14 nov 2016

Senior Hamas official Mushir al-Masri has said that any delay in brokering a prisoner swap deal with Israel would only be for the benefit of the Palestinian resistance in Gaza.
Masri made his remarks during a public festival organized on Monday by Hamas outside the Red Cross headquarters in Gaza to mark the martyrdom anniversary of deputy commander of al-Qassam Brigades Ahmed Jabari, who engineered the 2011 swap deal.
Masri accused the Israelis of using the delaying tactic in order to dig up for information on its captive soldiers, affirming that Hamas and its armed wing can never be deceived by that and knows how to handle this file very wisely and competently.
Al-Qassam Brigades of Hamas already announced that it had captured some soldiers during Israel’s 2014 war on Gaza.
Masri made his remarks during a public festival organized on Monday by Hamas outside the Red Cross headquarters in Gaza to mark the martyrdom anniversary of deputy commander of al-Qassam Brigades Ahmed Jabari, who engineered the 2011 swap deal.
Masri accused the Israelis of using the delaying tactic in order to dig up for information on its captive soldiers, affirming that Hamas and its armed wing can never be deceived by that and knows how to handle this file very wisely and competently.
Al-Qassam Brigades of Hamas already announced that it had captured some soldiers during Israel’s 2014 war on Gaza.

The family of captive soldier Oron Shaul filed a petition on Sunday with the Israeli higher court calling for compelling the Israeli government to form a ministerial team to follow up the issue of captive and missing soldiers.
According to Israel’s Channel 2, the family of Shaul took this legal step after the Israeli government broke a pledge to form a follow-up committee for its son and other missing soldiers.
“For two years, we have had no idea if our son is alive or dead, and we cannot take for granted what the government tells us. It is trying to mislead us,” the family said.
According to Israel’s Channel 2, the family of Shaul took this legal step after the Israeli government broke a pledge to form a follow-up committee for its son and other missing soldiers.
“For two years, we have had no idea if our son is alive or dead, and we cannot take for granted what the government tells us. It is trying to mislead us,” the family said.
11 nov 2016

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked Russia on Thursday for its readiness to provide assistance in the liberation of Israeli soldiers captured by Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
"I would like to thank you for your readiness to assist in the matter of a primary humanitarian significance — return of the bodies of Hadar Goldin and Oron Shaul, as well as three captives from Gaza," Netanyahu said at a meeting with Medvedev as quoted by the government press.
The Israeli occupation authorities consider that the bodies of the two Israeli soldiers, killed during the 2014 Israeli offensive on Gaza, have been held captive by Hamas in the blockaded Gaza Strip.
Hamas said it will only exchange the Israeli kidnapped soldiers for hundreds of Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.
Last April, spokesperson for the group’s armed wing—al-Qassam Brigades—showed a picture of four Israeli soldiers and said Hamas will not reveal any further details about their fate and location in return for nothing.
Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev arrived in Occupied Jerusalem on Wednesday evening for a three-day stopover aiming to boost bilateral ties with Israel.
"I would like to thank you for your readiness to assist in the matter of a primary humanitarian significance — return of the bodies of Hadar Goldin and Oron Shaul, as well as three captives from Gaza," Netanyahu said at a meeting with Medvedev as quoted by the government press.
The Israeli occupation authorities consider that the bodies of the two Israeli soldiers, killed during the 2014 Israeli offensive on Gaza, have been held captive by Hamas in the blockaded Gaza Strip.
Hamas said it will only exchange the Israeli kidnapped soldiers for hundreds of Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.
Last April, spokesperson for the group’s armed wing—al-Qassam Brigades—showed a picture of four Israeli soldiers and said Hamas will not reveal any further details about their fate and location in return for nothing.
Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev arrived in Occupied Jerusalem on Wednesday evening for a three-day stopover aiming to boost bilateral ties with Israel.
7 nov 2016

The Israeli occupation authority (IOA) on Sunday refused to release long-serving prisoner Nael al-Barghouthi after he ended his prison term.
Iman Nafie, the prisoner’s wife, said the Israeli prosecution office had submitted an objection to his release, which was scheduled for November 6.
She added that lawyer Mirav Khoury told her over the phone about this new development regarding her husband’s case.
59-year-old Barghouthi, who is known as the dean of the prisoners, was one of those prisoners who obtained their freedom in 2011 as part of the swap deal between the Palestinian resistance in Gaza and Israel before he was rearrested again in June 2014.
He is considered the longest-serving Palestinian prisoner in Israeli jails, where he has spent a total of 36 years.
Iman Nafie, the prisoner’s wife, said the Israeli prosecution office had submitted an objection to his release, which was scheduled for November 6.
She added that lawyer Mirav Khoury told her over the phone about this new development regarding her husband’s case.
59-year-old Barghouthi, who is known as the dean of the prisoners, was one of those prisoners who obtained their freedom in 2011 as part of the swap deal between the Palestinian resistance in Gaza and Israel before he was rearrested again in June 2014.
He is considered the longest-serving Palestinian prisoner in Israeli jails, where he has spent a total of 36 years.
25 oct 2016

Family of the Israeli officer Hadar Goldin, who was captured by Palestinian resistance during Israel’s 2014 aggression on Gaza, slammed the Israeli government for failing to free their son.
The family on Monday evening criticized Israeli Army Minister Avigdor Lieberman's interview with the Palestinian newspaper al-Quds because he failed to mention Goldin’s issue during the interview.
"It is disappointing to see that the minister in charge of bringing Hadar and Oron (home) purposely avoided mentioning them in an interview that he granted to a central Palestinian newspaper," said the family.
"It induces despair, to see how much Lieberman has softened since he entered his office," the family added. "The person who gave Ismail Haneyya 48 hours to return the abducted soldiers and civilians from Gaza, now wants to turn Gaza into Singapore."
"The Israeli government – and the Defense Minister in particular – are responsible for placing continuous pressure on Hamas in order to bring Oron and Hadar back to Israel, and not to give the public the feeling that they have been forgotten in Sejaiya and Rafah," the family said, referencing the locations in which the two men went missing during the 2014 Israeli aggression.
Al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’s armed wing, had declared the capture of an unrevealed number of Israeli soldiers during Israel’s 2014 offensive on Gaza Strip.
The Brigades refused to reveal any details unless all Palestinian ex-detainees who were freed during Shalit Swap Deal were released.
The family on Monday evening criticized Israeli Army Minister Avigdor Lieberman's interview with the Palestinian newspaper al-Quds because he failed to mention Goldin’s issue during the interview.
"It is disappointing to see that the minister in charge of bringing Hadar and Oron (home) purposely avoided mentioning them in an interview that he granted to a central Palestinian newspaper," said the family.
"It induces despair, to see how much Lieberman has softened since he entered his office," the family added. "The person who gave Ismail Haneyya 48 hours to return the abducted soldiers and civilians from Gaza, now wants to turn Gaza into Singapore."
"The Israeli government – and the Defense Minister in particular – are responsible for placing continuous pressure on Hamas in order to bring Oron and Hadar back to Israel, and not to give the public the feeling that they have been forgotten in Sejaiya and Rafah," the family said, referencing the locations in which the two men went missing during the 2014 Israeli aggression.
Al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’s armed wing, had declared the capture of an unrevealed number of Israeli soldiers during Israel’s 2014 offensive on Gaza Strip.
The Brigades refused to reveal any details unless all Palestinian ex-detainees who were freed during Shalit Swap Deal were released.
17 oct 2016

On the fifth anniversary of Wafa al-Ahrar prisoner exchange deal, 57 ex-prisoners freed in the swap deal are still behind Israeli bars in total violation of the deal terms.
Palestine Center for Prisoners Studies condemned Egypt for not intervening for the release of the ex-prisoners who were freed under its mediation during Wafa al-Ahrar prisoner exchange deal.
Head of the center Riad al-Ashqar said that Israel re-arrested 53 ex-prisoners who were earlier released during the prisoner exchange deal, 50 of them faced the re-imposition of their original sentences.
He pointed out that Israeli authorities started re-arresting the Palestinian ex-prisoners only two months after their release in the swap deal under the pretext of breaching the deal terms.
He renewed calls on Egyptian authorities to immediately intervene for the release of Wafa al-Ahrar ex-prisoners who were released under its mediation.
Palestine Center for Prisoners Studies condemned Egypt for not intervening for the release of the ex-prisoners who were freed under its mediation during Wafa al-Ahrar prisoner exchange deal.
Head of the center Riad al-Ashqar said that Israel re-arrested 53 ex-prisoners who were earlier released during the prisoner exchange deal, 50 of them faced the re-imposition of their original sentences.
He pointed out that Israeli authorities started re-arresting the Palestinian ex-prisoners only two months after their release in the swap deal under the pretext of breaching the deal terms.
He renewed calls on Egyptian authorities to immediately intervene for the release of Wafa al-Ahrar ex-prisoners who were released under its mediation.
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