Salah Bardaweel, a political leaders of Hamas, slammed Israel for its decision to exclude some detainees from the prisoner-swap deal, and its decision to deport some of them after they are released.
Salah Bardaweel - Image by Palestine-Info
In an interview with the Hamas-affiliated Palestinian Information Center, Bardaweel said that Hamas is demanding the release of 1,500 detainees, and added that this number, "is just a little bit more than 10 percent of the 11,000 detainees Israel is holding captive.
He confirmed that Hamas insists on its demands and insists on the release of detainees who have spent years behind bars, and that the movement will not abandon any detainees on their list.
“The occupation is mistaken if it believes that Hamas will make concessions on this issue, especially after the recent war on Gaza, if the occupation believes we are rushing to achieve a prisoner swap deal before Netanyahu comes to power, then its is mistaken and unrealistic,” Bardaweel said.
At the end of his statement, the Hamas leader said that Hamas will not accept excluding some names from the prisoner exchange, and will not accept Israel's condition to deport some of the detainees who would be released.
The outgoing Israeli government is moving towards closing the swap deal file and transferring it to the upcoming government.
Israel publishes names of detainees it will not free
On Tuesday evening, the Israeli government published a list containing names of Palestinian detainees they are not willing to release under any circumstances. Israel also presented a list containing names of detainees it is willing to release.
The detainees Israel is willing to release under a prisoner exchange with Hamas will only be freed under the condition that they should be deported.
One of the detainees who tops Israel's “rejection list” is Baheej Bader, who is believed to be behind two bombings; a 2003 bombing in Jerusalem in which several Israelis were killed, and an attack in Tisfarim settlement in the same year. Baheej was sentenced to eighteen consecutive life terms.
The second detainee is Raed Khodary, whom Israel claims recruited volunteers for attacks. The third detainee is Hasan Salama, who was sentenced to 38 consecutive life terms after Israeli convicted him of planning several attacks, including an attack on an Israeli bus.
Also on the list, detainee Abdullah Barghouthi, who is believed to be behind a number of attacks, including planning two bombings targeting a restaurant and a coffee shop in Jerusalem, was sentenced to 67 consecutive life terms.
The “no release list” also includes Mohammad Omran, believed to be behind several attacks, including a coffee shop bombing.
Another name is Ibrahim Hamid, one of the leaders of the al-Qassam brigades, the armed wing of Hamas in the West Bank. Israel believes that Hamid is responsible for the death of 82 Israelis.
Also, Abbas al-Sayyid, head of the al-Qassam brigades in Tulkarem, is on the rejection list as Israel claims he is the mastermind behind a number of attacks.
The list also includes Mohannad Shreim, a Hamas leader in the West Bank, believed to be behind a bombing in Netanya; Jamal Abu al-Haija of Hamas, who was seriously injured during the 2002 Israeli invasion of the Jenin refugee camp, and was sentenced to 26 life terms; Moath Bilal, who is believed to be in charge of dispatching suicide bombers, including Ben Yehuda and Mahne Yehoda bombings, in which 21 Israelis were killed.
Yet, Israel also agreed to release a number of detainees who were sentenced to high terms under the condition that they are deported out of Palestine.
Some of them were identified as Lateef Shqeir and Mohammad Taher who is believed to be behind a 2001 bus bombing in Haifa in which 15 Israelis were killed. Taher was sentenced to 15 life terms and an additional twenty years.
The list also includes Nasr Nazzal, sentenced to two life terms and 30 years. He is believed to be behind several attacks, including Bar Elan attack in 2002, in which one Israeli was killed and twenty others were wounded.
Another name on the list is Sa'id Badarna, who is believed to be the mastermind of an attack at the Central Bus Station in Khodera in 1994.
