Abbas expresses his commitment to freeing Palestinian prisoners: “They are at the top of the list”
Headline: “The president [Abbas]: ‘We are committed to every word we said here. We will work toward them and implement them, and they are unequivocal.’”
“The president [Mahmoud Abbas] stated during his address to the thousands of citizens who received him yesterday [Oct. 2, 2015] evening at the presidential compound in Ramallah in order to celebrate the raising of the Palestinian flag at the UN and to thank him for his historic speech at the UN General Assembly…: ‘We will not forget our 6,000 prisoners in the [Israeli] prisons, first among them the 30 prisoners (i.e., refers to fourth group of prisoners that was supposed to be released in 2013, see below). We will not forget them, and I mentioned them in my speech. They are at the top of the list if they [Israel] want to implement the agreements, and it [the list] is the first of the agreements.’”
The fourth group – In August 2013, Israel agreed to release 104 Palestinian terrorists from prison, which was the PA's precondition for renewing peace talks. The terrorists were released in stages. The first group of 26 was released on Aug. 13, 2013. The second group of 26 was released on Oct. 30, 2013. The third group of 26 was released on Dec. 30, 2013. The fourth group was scheduled to be released on March 29, 2014, but Israel delayed their release while negotiating the terms for continuation of the peace talks. When the PA submitted requests for admission as a state to several international bodies, Israel cancelled the release.
The following are some of the prisoners included in the fourth group, who Abbas is committed to freeing (as taken from the PA daily on Aug. 27, 2015):
Karim Younes - an Israeli Arab was sentenced to life in prison for kidnapping and killing an Israeli soldier in 1980. Israeli President Shimon Peres reduced his sentence in 2012 to 40 years.
Maher Younes - an Israeli Arab serving a 40-year sentence for kidnapping and killing an Israeli soldier in 1980. Originally sentenced to life in prison, but Israeli President Shimon Peres reduced his sentence in 2012.
Lina Al-Jarbouni is an Israeli Arab woman serving a sentence of 17 years, convicted March 9, 2004 of maintaining contact with and helping Islamic Jihad terrorists, of conspiring to commit terrorist attacks and of aiding an enemy during war.
Marwan Barghouti - serving five life sentences for orchestrating terror attacks against Israeli civilians. When arrested in 2002, he headed Fatah's military wing, the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades. After he was convicted and imprisoned, he was re-elected member of the Palestinian Authority parliament.
Ahmad Sa’adat, serving a 30-year sentence for heading the PFLP terror organization. Song at PFLP event also praised him for planning the assassination of Israeli Minister of Tourism Rehavam Ze'evi in 2001, but he has not been tried for this crime.
Fuad Al-Shubaki - a senior PA official who is serving a 20-year prison term. He was behind the attempt to smuggle 50 tons of illegal weapons into the Palestinian Authority in 2002 aboard the Karin-A weapons’ ship.
“The president [Mahmoud Abbas] stated during his address to the thousands of citizens who received him yesterday [Oct. 2, 2015] evening at the presidential compound in Ramallah in order to celebrate the raising of the Palestinian flag at the UN and to thank him for his historic speech at the UN General Assembly…: ‘We will not forget our 6,000 prisoners in the [Israeli] prisons, first among them the 30 prisoners (i.e., refers to fourth group of prisoners that was supposed to be released in 2013, see below). We will not forget them, and I mentioned them in my speech. They are at the top of the list if they [Israel] want to implement the agreements, and it [the list] is the first of the agreements.’”
The fourth group – In August 2013, Israel agreed to release 104 Palestinian terrorists from prison, which was the PA's precondition for renewing peace talks. The terrorists were released in stages. The first group of 26 was released on Aug. 13, 2013. The second group of 26 was released on Oct. 30, 2013. The third group of 26 was released on Dec. 30, 2013. The fourth group was scheduled to be released on March 29, 2014, but Israel delayed their release while negotiating the terms for continuation of the peace talks. When the PA submitted requests for admission as a state to several international bodies, Israel cancelled the release.
The following are some of the prisoners included in the fourth group, who Abbas is committed to freeing (as taken from the PA daily on Aug. 27, 2015):
Karim Younes - an Israeli Arab was sentenced to life in prison for kidnapping and killing an Israeli soldier in 1980. Israeli President Shimon Peres reduced his sentence in 2012 to 40 years.
Maher Younes - an Israeli Arab serving a 40-year sentence for kidnapping and killing an Israeli soldier in 1980. Originally sentenced to life in prison, but Israeli President Shimon Peres reduced his sentence in 2012.
Lina Al-Jarbouni is an Israeli Arab woman serving a sentence of 17 years, convicted March 9, 2004 of maintaining contact with and helping Islamic Jihad terrorists, of conspiring to commit terrorist attacks and of aiding an enemy during war.
Marwan Barghouti - serving five life sentences for orchestrating terror attacks against Israeli civilians. When arrested in 2002, he headed Fatah's military wing, the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades. After he was convicted and imprisoned, he was re-elected member of the Palestinian Authority parliament.
Ahmad Sa’adat, serving a 30-year sentence for heading the PFLP terror organization. Song at PFLP event also praised him for planning the assassination of Israeli Minister of Tourism Rehavam Ze'evi in 2001, but he has not been tried for this crime.
Fuad Al-Shubaki - a senior PA official who is serving a 20-year prison term. He was behind the attempt to smuggle 50 tons of illegal weapons into the Palestinian Authority in 2002 aboard the Karin-A weapons’ ship.