NavigationBreaking NewsLatest News Articles Latest Audio Human Interest Opinion/Analysis Interviews Cartoon Site TopicsMiscellaneousPalestinian Politics Lebanon war The Wall Palestinian attacks Refugees/Immigration Holy sites Non-violent action Israeli Politics Diplomacy Prisoners Israeli Settlement Human rights Israeli attacks Peace process International Politics Jerusalem English Audio Report Internal Unrest Italian Audio Report Truce Boycott Divestment user preferences
|
Donations in Euro Donations in USD 
Or use the Paypal Donation buttons on the left column
Recent Articles about Gaza Strip Internal Unrest
Hamas: PA forces killed three fighters, arrested 474 members of Hamas ... Jul 02 09 Hamas government says it would release 30 Fateh prisoners Jun 30 09 Fateh publishes a list of 210 members imprisoned by Hamas in Gaza Jun 26 09 Latest News ArticlesIsraeli sub crosses the Egyptian Suez Peninsula. 11:01 Sat 04 Jul Bahraini officials arrive in Israel to take five Bahraini nationals back home 10:24 Sat 04 Jul Israel cuts off water to Arab Druze towns on hottest day of year 01:49 Sat 04 Jul Israel pledges to compensate UN for shelling its facilities in Gaza 23:53 Fri 03 Jul Three children diagnosed with swine-flu 23:31 Fri 03 Jul Soldiers attack the Nil'in weekly Protest 17:26 Fri 03 Jul Three Injured during the weekly Bil'in protest 16:13 Fri 03 Jul Israeli Housing Minister Concerned over increasing Arab population 11:32 Fri 03 Jul Soldiers wound a Palestinian woman at a roadblock in the Jordan valley 08:04 Fri 03 Jul Soldiers break into the Al Aqsa Mosque yard, kidnap three Palestinians 05:37 Fri 03 Jul Full StoryBBC Alan Johnston freed after 4 months in captivity Wednesday July 04, 2007 12:45 by George Rishmawi - IMEMC News
 BBC reporter Alan Johnston was released by his kidnapers after nearly four months in captivity. Johnston met with the dismissed Prime Minister Ismael Haniyeh shortly after being released. The same kidnappers have also released 10 Hamas affiliates, kidnapped two days ago in Gaza. The so-called Army of Islam group kidnapped Johnston on March 12 in Gaza Strip.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas welcomed the release of Johnston saying that his release ended a human tragedy that harmed the Palestinian national cause. He affirmed that his emergency government is committed to maintaining security and imposing law and order in the Palestinian areas. Johnston was released after the Al-Qassam brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, and the Executive Force, which was formed by Hamas during the Hamas-led Palestinian government, surrounded the house where Johnston was held. Without resorting to violence, Johnston was released. Immediately after being freed, Johnston met with Haniyeh and several senior Hamas leaders. Ghazi Hamad, a senior Hamas leader, stated that there had been several attempts to negotiate his release, but the British government asked the Palestinian government not to adhere to the requests of the captors. Hamad, who condemned the kidnapping of Johnston, told Al-Jazeera TV that his release is evidence that Hamas is movement fighting for the freedom and independence of the Palestinian people and not a terrorist organization. The captors requested money and land, in addition to the release of what they called “Islamist” prisoners in the United Kingdom. Johnston described the time in captivity as “the worst days of his life” the BBC website said, adding that he dreamt of being released several times, but he waked up to the same room again. Apparently an exchange of prisoners between Hamas and the Army of Islam, which is dominated by the Dughmush family, paved the way for his release. |
printable version
|
