Israel to free two Palestinian prisoners

Ramallah: An Israeli military appeals court on Thursday ordered the release of two Palestinian prisoners held without trial since November, who had staged a three-month hunger strike, a prisoners’ rights group and Israeli authorities said.

Sarahna Amani, a spokesman for the Ramallah-based Palestinian Prisoners’ Club told AFP that Jaafar Ezz Al Deen and Tareq Qaadan would be freed on May 8. Israeli authorities confirmed the early release due Wednesday.

Addameer, a Jerusalem-based Palestinian non-governmental institution offering support for Palestinian prisoners and torture victims said one more Palestinian, Ayman Abu Daud who has been sentenced to 36 years in jail, was also occasionally going on a hunger strike in an Israeli prison.

Ezz Al Deen and Qaadan were arrested in the northern West Bank in November and ended a 90-day fast on February 27 after being promised a hearing on their case.

Under what Israel calls “administrative detention” suspects can be imprisoned without trial by order of a military court. Such orders can be renewed indefinitely for six months at a time.

Israeli news Website NRG quoted Ezz Al Deen and Qaadan’s lawyer as saying that their initial six-month term was due to expire on May 22 but they feared that it would be extended and therefore launched their protest fast and legal campaign.