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.

以色列内部对释放在押巴勒斯坦人分歧巨大。28日晚有大约3000名以色列人在奥弗监狱前示威，要求政府取消释放决定。以以色列经济部长贝内特为代表的以色列右翼政党也极力反对政府决定。但以色列政府仍然坚持释放在押巴勒斯坦人。总理内塔尼亚胡当天表示，他能够感受到以色列受害家庭的伤痛和难过，但对于目前局势来说，释放巴勒斯坦人是“困难但负责任的”决定。
巴勒斯坦民众聚集在位于拉姆安拉总统府附近的广场，欢迎这26人获释归来。巴勒斯坦总统阿巴斯在欢迎仪式上讲话，否认了媒体有关巴勒斯坦默认以色列扩建定居点以换取巴在押人员释放的报道。他还表示，巴方将致力于推动所有巴勒斯坦在押人员的释放。
以色列内政部通过了在东耶路撒冷新建1500套犹太人定居点住房计划的方案。联合国秘书长潘基文就此通过其发言人发表声明，对这一举动表示谴责。
定居点问题一直是阻挠以巴恢复和谈的主要问题之一。巴勒斯坦和以色列领导人2010年9月重启中断20个月的直接谈判。当年9月底，以色列拒绝继续延长犹太人定居点限建令，而巴方要求只有在以色列停建定居点的情况下才重返谈判桌，导致巴以直接谈判陷于停滞。
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.