Confusion Marks Release of Palestinian Prisoners

JERUSALEM —  An Israeli-Palestinian peace accord moved forward in fits and starts Tuesday when the Israeli government began releasing several hundred Palestinian prisoners amid much confusion and handed over a military occupation office in the West Bank village of Salfit.

As the prisoner release began, an adviser to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat petitioned the Supreme Court to override the government’s refusal to pardon female prisoners involved in the murder of Israelis.

Dr. Ahmed Tibi, an Arab citizen of Israel, argued that the high court should order the government to respect the interim peace agreement signed by Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Arafat in Washington on Sept. 28. The agreement calls for the release of all imprisoned Palestinian women.

Four Palestinian women have been denied release--two by Israeli President Ezer Weizman and two by a West Bank military commander following his lead. At least 21 other female prisoners have refused to leave their cells without the four.

Early Tuesday, Palestinian officials announced that the more than 1,000 Palestinian men who were scheduled to be released would not go unless all the Palestinian women were also freed.

But soon, scores and then hundreds of Palestinian men emerged from prison, all having complied with Israel’s requirement to sign a pledge not to use terrorism. In the end, only three refused to sign the pledge and remained in jail.

Israeli television showed hundreds of Palestinians greeting prisoners who returned to the Palestinian-controlled Gaza Strip with hugs and kisses and shouts of “God is great!”

Many Israelis fear that Palestinians convicted of politically motivated crimes will attack Israelis again as soon as they are freed. Palestinians view the convicts as political prisoners who should receive amnesty like any soldier at the end of a war.

Israeli authorities estimated that about 500 common criminals and 500 Palestinians convicted of security crimes will have been freed by today. The Voice of Palestine radio said about 200 political prisoners had been released by about 10 p.m.

The prisoner release overshadowed the fact that Israel took its first steps toward ending its 28-year occupation of the West Bank on Tuesday with the closure of four occupation offices. The one in Salfit, about 30 miles north of Jerusalem, was handed over to Palestinians while hundreds of Palestinians chanted “PLO! Israel no!” and waved Palestine Liberation Organization flags outside.