Israel Releases More Prisoners In Peace Deal
Sky's Sam Kiley reports as 26 Palestinian prisoners were released as part of US brokered peace talks.

以色列內部對釋放在押巴勒斯坦人分歧巨大。28日晚有大約3000名以色列人在奧弗監獄前示威，要求政府取消釋放決定。以以色列經濟部長貝內特為代表的以色列右翼政黨也極力反對政府決定。但以色列政府仍然堅持釋放在押巴勒斯坦人。總理內塔尼亞胡當天表示，他能夠感受到以色列受害家庭的傷痛和難過，但對于目前局勢來說，釋放巴勒斯坦人是“困難但負責任的”決定。
巴勒斯坦民眾聚集在位于拉姆安拉總統府附近的廣場，歡迎這26人獲釋歸來。巴勒斯坦總統阿巴斯在歡迎儀式上講話，否認了媒體有關巴勒斯坦默認以色列擴建定居點以換取巴在押人員釋放的報道。他還表示，巴方將致力于推動所有巴勒斯坦在押人員的釋放。
以色列內政部通過了在東耶路撒冷新建1500套猶太人定居點住房計劃的方案。聯合國秘書長潘基文就此通過其發言人發表聲明，對這一舉動表示譴責。
定居點問題一直是阻撓以巴恢復和談的主要問題之一。巴勒斯坦和以色列領導人2010年9月重啟中斷20個月的直接談判。當年9月底，以色列拒絕繼續延長猶太人定居點限建令，而巴方要求只有在以色列停建定居點的情況下才重返談判桌，導致巴以直接談判陷于停滯。
It was a gesture of goodwill. 26 Palestinian prisoners, some of them killers released in an effort to advance talks that are aimed at ending the Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands, but the Israeli Prime Minister simultaneously announced plans to build another 1,500 illegal Jewish dwellings in settlements in occupied east Jerusalem.
He’s compensating, if you like, for the releasing of prisoners by announcing plans to expand settlements, like it, loathe it, condemn it, support it, criticize it, it reflects the middle path he’s trying to steer, he’s kept his coalition intact, although there’s been some infighting, and that’s the path that he’s chosen, you know, to follow.
Netanyahu’s move is certain to spark Palestinian rage against settlers who are recruiting youngsters to defend themselves. They’re not yet a force to be reckoned with, but they will be the first line of defenses against Palestinian insurgents, the Jewish students in an illegal settlement on the Israeli occupied west bank.
The idea is to have these guys on hand, to be in the school, part of the school, they’re 24/7 with their weapons, with their equipment, with a proper training, and in the event that there is an infiltration, they will be able to respond.
These are not professional soldiers, they are high school kids at a boarding school from herebon. But they are part of the settler base national religious movement that is becoming dominant in Israeli politics and enjoys great success inside the Israeli defense forces.
They guard Jewish settlers drawing spiritual strength from ushivas like this, a religious school deep inside the hostile Palestinian city of Hairbron. This is where Israeli’s national religious parties forge new generations, opposed to ending Israel’s occupation, and the creation of an independent state of Palestine. Already the settler dominated Jewish home party has 10% of connected seats and the casting vote in the ruling coalition. Such is the growing power of the settler movement in Israeli politics, that to hold onto their support, the Prime Minister now risks bulldozing peace with the Palestinians.
Sun Kaili, Sky News, Jerusalem.