Hamas protestors in the West Bank call for release of political prisoners

[ 13/05/2011 - 09:35 PM ]

WEST BANK, (PIC)-- Hamas has organised a number of rallies in the West Bank cities of al-Khalil, Ramallah and Qalqilia to call for the release of political prisoners from PA jails.

PIC correspondent said that hundreds of Hamas supporters participated in the protest in the southern West Bank city of al-Khalil in a march that started after the Friday prayers from the Husain mosque to Manarah Square in the city centre. The march was led by the PLC speaker Dr. Aziz Dweik, a number of Islamic MP’s representing the district and a number of community leaders.

Participants in the march, who raised Palestinian flags as well as the green flags of Hamas, emphasised the importance of national unity, stressed the importance of implementing the articles of the reconciliation agreement and condemned the continued detention of political prisoners in PA jails, most of whom are Hamas supporters.

The march ended in a rally were Dr. Aziz Dweik made a short speech calling for protecting national reconciliation and starting to release political prisoners from PA jails.

Demonstrators were then dispersed by the PA security when part of the demonstration came close to Israeli occupation roadblocks in the city.

Ramallah
In Ramallah hundreds of Hamas supporters demonstrated after the Friday prayers at the Grand mosque in al-Beireh carrying the Palestinian flags and the green flags of Hamas.

Hamas MPs Ahmad Mubarak and Abdel-Jabbar Fuqaha, participated in the protest along with leading figures in the movement such as Hasan Abu Kweik, who called on the PA to release all political prisoners and to reopen more than 300 charities and human rights organisation which were closed down by the PA.

Eyewitnesses said that the march started at the Grand mosque and headed towards the Manara Square in the centre of Ramallah and that PA security men a companied the demonstration and filmed those who participated.

Qalqilia
Hamas also organised a similar demonstration in the northern West Bank city of Qalqilia which started from the Ali Bin Abu Taleb Mosqu after the Friday prayers at the same time that a women march started from Husneyya Mosque.

Hamas MP Imad Nofal as well as Hamas leading figures Reyad al-Walwil and Hasan al-Hardan led the demonstrators.

In his speech, Nofal called for an end to political detention, reinstating all those who were sacked from their jobs based on their affiliation and a return of the spirit of unity.

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