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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Israel frees West Bank detainees | Israel frees West Bank detainees |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Israel has begun releasing about 90 Palestinian prisoners in what is being seen as a bid to boost support for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. | Israel has begun releasing about 90 Palestinian prisoners in what is being seen as a bid to boost support for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. |
| The move, described by Israel as a goodwill gesture, is the second release of prisoners in recent months. | The move, described by Israel as a goodwill gesture, is the second release of prisoners in recent months. |
| About 57 people, mostly members of the Fatah party, were taken from Ketziot jail in south Israel to the West Bank. | About 57 people, mostly members of the Fatah party, were taken from Ketziot jail in south Israel to the West Bank. |
| Mr Abbas is due to meet Israeli PM Ehud Olmert on Wednesday, ahead of a US-backed peace conference in November. | Mr Abbas is due to meet Israeli PM Ehud Olmert on Wednesday, ahead of a US-backed peace conference in November. |
| Officials said the pair would be working on a peace deal to present at the summit, at which delegates from 36 countries are expected to meet in the US state of Maryland. | Officials said the pair would be working on a peace deal to present at the summit, at which delegates from 36 countries are expected to meet in the US state of Maryland. |
| Mr Abbas's supporters in Fatah welcomed the prisoner release, but said more needed to be done to bolster his position in the Palestinian territories. | Mr Abbas's supporters in Fatah welcomed the prisoner release, but said more needed to be done to bolster his position in the Palestinian territories. |
| About 10,000 Palestinians are held in Israeli jails, including hundreds being held without charge. | About 10,000 Palestinians are held in Israeli jails, including hundreds being held without charge. |
| Gaza hitch | Gaza hitch |
| The first batch of detainees were put on two windowless armoured buses with a heavy security escort set off for Beitunya checkpoint in the occupied West Bank. | The first batch of detainees were put on two windowless armoured buses with a heavy security escort set off for Beitunya checkpoint in the occupied West Bank. |
| A third bus was due to take detainees to Gaza but the departure was delayed after the 30 men slated for release had boarded it and were waiting to leave. | A third bus was due to take detainees to Gaza but the departure was delayed after the 30 men slated for release had boarded it and were waiting to leave. |
| Israeli media linked the hitch to questions about the status of the government in the Gaza Strip, controlled by the Islamist Hamas movement, which Israel brands a terrorist group. | Israeli media linked the hitch to questions about the status of the government in the Gaza Strip, controlled by the Islamist Hamas movement, which Israel brands a terrorist group. |
| There has been no confirmation about when the Gaza batch will be released. | There has been no confirmation about when the Gaza batch will be released. |
| Correspondents say Israel has been keen to strengthen the position of Mr Abbas and his Fatah faction since Hamas won elections last year. | Correspondents say Israel has been keen to strengthen the position of Mr Abbas and his Fatah faction since Hamas won elections last year. |
| Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip in June this year, while Fatah remains in power in the West Bank. | Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip in June this year, while Fatah remains in power in the West Bank. |
| The BBC's Aleem Maqbool in Ramallah says, according to figures from the UN, the number of detainees being released is less than the average number of Palestinians detained by Israeli forces each month. |