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Last update - 13:57 20/08/2008
Jordan frees four prisoners handed over by Israel last year
By Reuters
Tags: Jordan, Hezbollah, Israel 

Jordan, under public pressure after a recent Hezbollah-Israel prisoner swap deal, on Wednesday freed four inmates handed over by Israel last year to finish their sentences at home, officials said.

The move has angered Israeli diplomats who say it breaches the terms of a deal last July when the four - who were serving life sentences for killing Israelis - were to spend 18 months in a local prison before their release.

Jordanian Prime Minister Nader al-Dahabi said the early release is in line with Jordanian prison law, which counts one year in jail at nine months, especially for prisoners who show good conduct.
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Israeli Embassy spokesman in Amman Itai Bardov said his country explained to Jordan that we would have preferred to have their release postponed until the full 18 months are up.

But he added that the Jordanian decision would not affect relations and that his government does not see this as an anti-Israeli move.

The four - Sultan Ajlouni, Amin Sanae and Khaled and Yousef Abu Ghaleon - were convicted of two separate cross border incidents in which two Israelis were killed, officials say.

Jordanian officials at the time said the deal was a breakthrough after years of negotiations with successive Israeli governments opposed to handing over Arab inmates deemed to have "blood on their hands."

They insist the deal allows an immediate release of the prisoners if Israel agreed to free Palestinians or Arabs serving life sentences for militant attacks in any future prisoner swap with Hezbollah or Hamas.

The Jordanians were convicted in Israel after infiltrating from the kingdom to the occupied West Bank in 1991 and staging attacks against army outposts and Jewish settlers.

Jerusalem accepted the deal as a gesture to Amman which in 1994 became the second Arab country after Egypt to sign a peace treaty with Israel.

The release reduces the pressure on the government, criticised by some independent politicians and the Islamist-led opposition for agreeing to the deal they see as humiliating.

Many Jordanians see the prisoners as heroes resisting Israel's occupation of Arab land. The Islamist-led opposition are lobbying for the release of another 30 Jordanians held in Israeli prisons on security related charges.
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  1.   release of murderers 14:07  |  jackie 20/08/08
  2.   Israel NEXT TIME should NOT TRUST JORDAN to give them prisoners 14:14  |  Moshe 20/08/08
  3.   What better conduct than killing Israelis? 14:34  |  Ilan 20/08/08
  4.   Do the math 15:04  |  Natallie Durson 20/08/08
  5.   how is it that israel breeds buffoons 15:05  |  v.hardman 20/08/08
  6.   Naivite 15:17  |  Jordanian 20/08/08
  7.   only fair 15:27  |  potobac 20/08/08
  8.   Terrorists with blood on their hands should be sentence to death. 16:03  |  Jean Van Daem 20/08/08
  9.   ...And Justice for all, except for Jews who live in Israel 16:04  |  David P 20/08/08
  10.   Israel reaping "rewards" of its terrorists release policies. 16:26  |  common sense 20/08/08
  11.   `Goodwill Gestures` evoke profound injustice for terror victoms 16:53  |  David P 20/08/08
  12.   #8 if terrorists with blood on their hands should be 17:08  |  Iraqi 20/08/08
  13.   Unfortunately, the word of an Arab state is worth nothing 17:16  |  McQueen 20/08/08
  14.   Durson, Jews locked up in Israel for commiting assault crimes 17:22  |  David P 20/08/08
  15.   IT`S A GOOD THING ISRAEL CAN TRUST JORDAN 17:28  |  jewish doctor 20/08/08
  16.   what would BiBi have done? 17:29  |  dav zee 20/08/08
  17.   Jordan frees 17:32  |  Ralph 20/08/08
  18.   Hey "Iraki": Something is wrong with your had. A sun too hot for 17:33  |  Vittorio 20/08/08
  19.   #12 Iraqi? 17:33  |  Dr Noam 20/08/08
  20.   #12 17:34  |  Dr Noam 20/08/08
  21.   JORDAN MUST THINK OLMERT IS FOREVER 18:52  |  Truthteller 20/08/08
  22.   Isn`t it amazing how many people on this talkback think releasing 18:55  |  Truthteller 20/08/08
  23.   #12 Iraqi....when did Israel kill one million Iraqis? 19:49  |  Lynn 20/08/08
  24.   Why Didn`t Israel Execute These Murderers? 20:36  |  lagunageno 20/08/08
  25.   18 months for murder? 21:24  |  Mike 20/08/08
  26.   Islam is a bad ideology 21:27  |  JP 20/08/08
  27.   Just from a muslim state to expect such immoral act 21:28  |  JP 20/08/08
  28.   #24,Lugi, b/c Israel does`t behave like ALL of her neighbors 21:38  |  David P 20/08/08
  29.   to natalie durson... 22:30  |  Igor D. 20/08/08
  30.   Again, "HEROS" for spilling innocent blood!!! 23:58  |  Akiva P 20/08/08
  31.   akiva p 30 04:49  |  potobac 23/08/08
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