Palestinian waits to hug his father for the first time

After a delay of several hours, there were joyful scenes here in Ramallah, where around 60 Palestinian prisoners were released from Israeli detention in the arms of their loved and happy beings.

Among those released and tasted for the first time in 22 years were Hussain Nassar, 47, who was arrested in 2003 for participating in the second Palestinian intifada, or uprising.

There for his encounter with him were his daughters, Hedaya and Raghad, 22, who are 21 years old. Both were dressed in the striking red and black traditional dresses of Nablus, their hometown.

The youngest daughter had previously told me that it was impossible to describe living for so long without her father.

“This is the first time I will touch it. I will hug him. I can’t express my feelings.”

Almost trembling with the emotion of meeting her father, she said that “the Israelis arrested him when my mother was pregnant with me. I feel that this is the first time I will know what it is to have a father!”

Among the 110 Palestinian prisoners released at this stage, of what is still a fragile fire, there were several women and children, the youngest 15 years.

Some of them were accused of relatively lower crimes, others had not been formally convicted or accused.

But 21 prisoners convicted of the most serious crimes, including murder, were not allowed by Israel to return to the Palestinian territories and were exiled to Egypt or neighboring countries.

A senior figure that was not sent into exile, despite being convicted of his participation in the death of several Israelis, was Zakaria Zubeidi.

The former commander of the Al-Aqsa martyrs brigades was one of the various detainees taken by joyful supporters through the streets near the Ramallah Civic Center.

It was a scene, like the previous show of Hamas Fortaleza in Gaza, which irritates many Israelis and, without a doubt, will lead to renewed calls of some right -wing politicians for the war against Hamas in Gaza to resume after this initial phase of six Weeks of El Alto El Fuego is over.

For the governor of Ramallah and the Bireh, Dr. Leila Abu Ghanam, this return home for so many prisoners was an occasion to celebrate.

But it had mixed emotions as Israeli military operations intensify in the northern part of the occupied Bank and the high Gaza’s fire is still under tension.

“All Palestinians are happy with the liberation of prisoners, but we are sad about what is happening in the provinces at this time. Mothers today, despite how happy they are for the liberation of their children, are also sad for those mothers who have lost their homes and children. “

Today was one of the few days, while covering this intractable conflict, which I have seen so many happy faces between Palestinians and Israelis.

It has been a terrible and destructive war that has destroyed so many lives.

Governor Ghanam accused the Israeli government of not being interested in peace. “But we don’t lose hope,” he said, smiling. “If we had lost hope, the Palestinians would have ended 75 years ago.”

The next batch of prison launches in exchange for Israeli hostages should occur on Saturday.