Israel pardons 32 wanted Fatah gunmen

PA security officials on Sunday confirmed that Israel had informed them that they will stop pursuing 32 Fatah gunmen belonging to the Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades in the West Bank. The decision to pardon the 32 gunmen came after a trial period of three months in which the gunmen refrained from carrying out attacks on Israel. The security official also said that Israel had extended the probation period of an additional 220 wanted men for another three months. The pardoning by Israel allows the gunmen to move freely in Palestinian controlled areas of the West Bank without the fear of being targeted by Israel.

Israel and the Palestinian Authority reached an agreement around six months ago that would allow three month probation periods for the organisation members with the result being that those not involved in terrorist activities would be granted amnesty. One PA security official expressed his disappointment in the low number of pardoning Israel granted. "Israel is aware that all of the wanted al-Aqsa members have stopped engaging in any activity that could even come close to threatening the Jewish state, but the Israelis chose to exclude a number of wanted men they want to use as bargaining chips in future negotiations with us," he said.

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