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PA parliament speaker Abdul Aziz Duaik and lawmaker Mohammed Abu Tir arriving at a military court near Ramallah on Monday. (AP)
Last update - 00:00 12/09/2006
Military court orders release of 18 Hamas lawmakers
By News Agencies
Tags: Gaza, IDF, war crimes 

An Israel Defense Forces judge on Tuesday ordered the release of 18 Hamas legislators, including three cabinet ministers, detained in a dragnet launched after an IDF soldier was abducted by Palestinian militants.

The ministers the army court decided to release are Minister of Jerusalem Affairs Khaled Abu Arafah, Minister for Waqf Affairs Naif Rajoub, and Minister of Local Government Issa Al-Ja'bari.

Among the parliament members to be released are two parliament members from East Jerusalem, Mohammed Abu Tir and Ahmed a-Tun.
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Palestinian Parliament Chairman Aziz Dweik and his deputy, Mahmoud al-Ramahi, are also among those to be released.

In his decision to free the politicians, the military judge questioned the timing of the arrests, noting that the men were permitted to run for office and serve in the Palestinian government for months before their detentions.

He said the politicians should be freed on bail while their trials continue.

Following a prosecution appeal against their release, the politicians will not be released until Thursday at 16:00.

Hamas announced Monday that a Palestinian unity government would not be established before Israel releases the Hamas ministers and parliament members.

The army had already suffered a similar setback earlier this week, when the court ordered the release of three other Hamas members. The hearing for that appeal is scheduled for Wednesday.

Today's legal proceedings focused solely on whether the army could continue to hold the men, but the judge raised troubling questions about the larger case against the Hamas politicians.

Israeli human rights lawyer Leah Tzemel, who is not involved in the case, said the army's court system rarely disputes the military's cases against Palestinians.

"I think they simply don't have the evidence needed and this case should not have begun," she said.

Seven Hamas politicians attended Tuesday's court session, with most dressed in brown prison garb and their legs shackled.

"We do not recognize the authority of this court. We are elected lawmakers. We have been kidnapped," shouted al-Ramahi.

Palestinian leaders have said the detentions were illegal and demanded the Hamas politicians be released.

Israel has four members of the Hamas-dominated Palestinian Cabinet and some 28 Hamas lawmakers in its custody. Four other ministers have been detained and released.

The detainees include Palestinian Deputy Prime Minister Nasser Shaer, who was arrested in late August.

Palestinian officials both from the ruling Hamas party and from Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah Party have condemned the arrests.

Ghazi Hamad, a spokesman for the Hamas government, said Israel wants to arrest the entire Cabinet.

"They won't be satisfied with any government headed by Hamas or headed by Fatah or headed by a new coalition, so I think they want to undermine the political regime, the Palestinian political regime," Hamad said.

Egypt, which often acts as a mediator between Israel and the Palestinians, also condemned the arrest.

"Israel has to realize that these actions will only lead to spread hatred and extremism, and do not serve the attempts to close the two parties' stances, aiming to make the peace process active again," said Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit said
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  1.   Release,,, 15:56  |  Vital 12/09/06
  2.   It is not the IOF or Isreal 16:06  |  Khalil 12/09/06
  3.   HAMAS JUDGES 16:09  |  ACHMED 12/09/06
  4.   State`s terrorism never good 16:14  |  Clod 12/09/06
  5.   B-E-T-R-A-Y-A-L of Gilad Shalit !!! 16:33  |  Moshe 12/09/06
  6.   NOT ENOUGH 16:47  |  ANTI ISRAEL NOT JEWS 12/09/06
  7.   democracy 16:48  |  paul 12/09/06
  8.   Wrong 16:50  |  Lebanese guy 12/09/06
  9.   PLA Law Makers & ministers 16:55  |  J S 12/09/06
  10.   # 9 JS Bravo, Well said 17:09  |  ANTI ISRAEL NOT JEWS 12/09/06
  11.   A Question of Law 17:16  |  Mark of Lewiston 12/09/06
  12.   i hate lebanese hizbualla organazation 17:18  |  jiji 12/09/06
  13.   And for our next trick... 17:22  |  sh 12/09/06
  14.   Good news: NOw release the other illegally detained prisoners 17:28  |  Stephen Murray 12/09/06
  15.   Simple Solution 17:31  |  rick 12/09/06
  16.   "kidnapping is illegal" 17:32  |  Dan N 12/09/06
  17.   Woe betide 17:34  |  The Raccoon 12/09/06
  18.   Hamas is a political party now as well 17:41  |  NEUTERED OBSERVER 12/09/06
  19.   IDF human rights 17:47  |  Lebanese admirer 12/09/06
  20.   Real law versus power. 17:52  |  H.H.M 12/09/06
  21.   DESTROYED GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS 17:55  |  NEUTERED OBSERVER 12/09/06
  22.   just wondering 18:02  |  oserver 12/09/06
  23.   US-Policy in Near East 18:24  |  Arik 12/09/06
  24.   Murray pretends being a jihad negotiator ? 18:25  |  ziggurat 12/09/06
  25.   Release of PLC members 18:26  |  Ali 12/09/06
  26.   to nr. 03 / ACHMED in JENIN 18:35  |  DAVID KOHEN 12/09/06
  27.   The State refuses to defend its Jewish citizens!!! 18:55  |  Mordi 12/09/06
  28.   Hamas leaders should not be released! 18:59  |  Terry 12/09/06
  29.   I don`t trust Israel leaders anymore 19:02  |  Isaac 12/09/06
  30.   What`s next?, Israel to withdraw from Gaza and abandon Shalit? 19:04  |  James 12/09/06
  31.   Answer to David Kohen 19:37  |  The Raccoon 12/09/06
  32.   Is It In Exchange for Shalit? 19:54  |  Joseph E . 12/09/06
  33.   14% of released prisoners attack Israel again 19:55  |  Jabadini 12/09/06
  34.   Jabadini 20:46  |  Ernie 12/09/06
  35.   #31 You Mistake Morality for Politics 21:02  |  Arik 12/09/06
  36.   BELONGING TO TERRORST ORGANIZATION,ORGANIZING TERROR,WHY RELEASE? 21:34  |  -VOICE of MOSHIACH)) 12/09/06
  37.   JiJi #12: Are u circumcised? 21:36  |  Stevex 12/09/06
  38.   Lebanese admirer # 19 22:11  |  ChanahS 12/09/06
  39.   Neutered Observer # 21 22:12  |  ChanahS 12/09/06
  40.   Ernie did you even read the article i posted 22:16  |  Jabadini 12/09/06
  41.   IDF Court orders release of Palestinian Law Makers 23:28  |  Maureen Ann 12/09/06
  42.   NEED THE CELLS VACATED 23:38  |  SCOTT 12/09/06
  43.   NEED THE CELLS VACATED 23:38  |  SCOTT 12/09/06
  44.   TO 35 23:45  |  NIMROD 12/09/06
  45.   Force Hamas to free Shalit for Hamas VIP`s 00:14  |  sam 13/09/06
  46.   RELEASE 00:24  |  JACK 13/09/06
  47.   it is amazing what Israel gets away with 00:32  |  gus 13/09/06
  48.   Hamas officials 00:47  |  tom 13/09/06
  49.   Kidnapped Hamas Lawmakers must be released 01:11  |  Dr. Moe Karami 13/09/06
  50.   Kidnapping prisoners 11:27  |  Mordecai Ben Natan 13/09/06
  51.   Israel 11:44  |  Chris Van Niekerk 13/09/06
  52.   go 05:41  |  bob the man 31/03/09
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