Israel releases over 250 Palestinian prisoners

Mostly Fatah members receive hero's welcome in Ramallah 2007-07-20 Israel considers the release of the prisoners a gesture of goodwill towards Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement. Fatah recognizes the Israeli state, Hamas does not. Since the collapse of the Palestinian unity government and the Hamas take over of Gaza , Israel dropped most of its embargo against the West Bank. It increased the isolation of Gaza. Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said the release "has no real value because most of the prisoners are from one faction, and most were about to be released." The freed Palestinians traveled in buses from central Israel to the Bituniya border crossing on the West Bank. APTN captured the journey and the emotional outpouring in Ramallah.

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YouTube | July 23, 2007

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