GAZA CITY/RAMALLAH: Tens of thousands of flag-waving Palestinians celebrated the homecoming Tuesday of hundreds of prisoners swapped for an Israeli soldier, as political leaders jockeyed for credit for the most significant prisoner release by Israel in nearly three decades.
In downtown Gaza City, Hamas organized a homecoming celebration that turned into a show of strength by the political group. Tens of thousands crammed into a sandy lot, where a huge stage was set up, decorated with a mural depicting Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit’s capture in June 2006 at an army base near the Gaza border. Thousands hoisted green Hamas flags.
A majority of the 477 prisoners freed Tuesday, in exchange for Shalit, had been serving life terms. Shalit was captured more than five years ago by Hamas-allied fighters, and Hamas rulers negotiated the swap, with Egyptian mediation.
More than 300 of the prisoners arrived in Gaza, the rest in the West Bank. Mass celebration rallies were held in both of the Palestinian territories. The names of the other 550 prisoners who are to be released in return for Shalit’s freedom have yet to be determined.
Meanwhile, the released Israeli solder arrived by helicopter at his family home in the northern village of Mitzpe Hila on Tuesday to a raucous welcome by thousands of cheering Israelis.
In Ramallah, Abbas addressed a crowd of thousands, included released prisoners and their relatives. In an attempt at unity, he shared a stage with three Hamas leaders in the West Bank. At one point, the four men even raised clasped hands in a show of victory.
Tuesday’s swap, with many “lifers” among the released prisoners, is the most significant since Israel released hundreds of Palestinians in 1985. In his speech, Abbas praised the released prisoners as “freedom fighters” and suggested that his method of negotiations was also bearing fruit. “I am revealing to you ... that there is an agreement between us and the Israeli government on another batch (of releases) similar to this batch after it finishes,” Abbas said.
Meanwhile, Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Al-Arabi on Tuesday welcomed the release of Palestinian prisoners.
In a statement, Al-Arabi saluted the Palestinian people for the completion of the prisoner exchange.
The Arab League chief called for “the release of all Palestinian and Arab prisoners and detainees who are still held by Israeli occupation forces.”
“There are prisoners who have spent more than 30 years in jail, living in harsh and inhumane conditions, some of whom have not been on trial, in a blatant violation of all the rules of international humanitarian law,” Arabi said.
US Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Tuesday that he expected the Israeli-Palestinian prisoner exchange to boost prospects for the wider peace process.
“With this release, it will have a far-reaching positive impact to the stalled Middle East peace process,” Ban told Reuters at the end of a three-day trip to Switzerland.
“I am very encouraged by the prisoner exchange today after many many years of negotiation. The United Nations has been calling for (an end to) the unacceptable detention of Gilad Shalit and also the release of all Palestinians whose human rights have been abused all the time.”
However, the UN voiced concern on Tuesday that some of the Palestinian detainees released in exchange for Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit may have not have been given any choice on where to go, which could constitute an illegal forced transfer.
The office of Navi Pillay, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, welcomed the release but cited reports that some of the Palestinian prisoners from the West Bank may be released to the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip or abroad.
Under international humanitarian law, it is illegal to forcibly transfer war detainees or deport them to another country against their will.
