Wednesday 4 March 2009

Nazzal: Palestinian, Arab officials asked for retaining Barghouthi behind bars


Nazzal: Palestinian, Arab officials asked for retaining Barghouthi behind bars

[ 04/03/2009 - 11:58 AM ]


DAMASCUS, (PIC)-- Mohammed Nazzal, political bureau member of Hamas, has revealed that a number of Palestinian and Arab officials have asked Israel not to release Marwan Al-Barghouthi, a Fatah leader in the West Bank, at the pretext that his release would weaken Mahmoud Abbas, former PA chief and the Fatah supreme leader.

Nazzal, in a statement in the name of his Movement delivered in a celebration over Gaza victory in Damascus Tuesday night, said that the issue was met with surprise and dismay at the part of his Movement.

He said that the request was also made at the pretext that Barghouthi's release would strengthen the position of Hamas on the political and popular levels.

The Hamas leader expected that Palestinian officials would deny the matter altogether, but he added that anyone could ask Barghouthi's wife, lawyer or friends who know the same information.

Nazzal affirmed that Hamas would insist on the list of names it tabled in return for the release of Israeli captured soldier Gilad Shalit, noting that it did not differentiate between prisoners on the basis of their affiliation.

He underlined that the delay in concluding the prisoners' exchange deal with Israel (Shalit was captured three years ago) was due to Hamas's insistence on releasing all the names included in the list especially those serving high prison terms.

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