Israel to Start Releasing Palestinian Prisoners

　　By CRI Jerusalem Correspondent Zhang Jin

 

　　Twenty-six Palestinian prisoners are expected to be released Tuesday or early Wednesday morning as first to be freed ahead of the renewed peace talks this week.

 

　　CRI's Jordan Lee has more.

 

　　The Israeli Prison Service has published a list of 26 Palestinian prisoners who will be released ahead of the renewed peace negotiations¹ between Israel and Palestine in Jerusalem on Wednesday.

 

　　Israel agreed last month to free 104 long-term Palestinian and Arab-Israeli prisoners in four stages over nine months, depending on progress at the peace talks.

 

　　The decision has been opposed by many Israelis, especially for the bereaved² families.

 

　　Many have been demonstrating with the pictures of their lost family members.

 

　　"It cannot be that they will return home as heroes, and we will remain only with the picture. We are here paying the price of the blood of our children."

 

　　Meir Indor, CEO of the Israeli victims organization Almagor, says peace cannot be reached by releasing those who killed people and his organization will do their best to fight against the "big mistake".

 

　　"I'm fighting for peace, in a logic³ way, in a practical way. There is no question in my eyes that you don't contribute to the system of peace with giving up to those murderers. There is a system of law. You did something bad, you have to pay, otherwise the balance of the whole world is destroyed."

 

　　However, not all people who lost their family members have the same opinion.

 

　　Robi Damelin lost her son David in 2002 when he was serving in the army and killed by a Palestinian sniper.

 

　　For her, reconciliation⁴ with the Palestinians is a must for reaching real peace and ending the pain.

 

　　"Peace does not equal justice. It is painful. It is awful, because justice is the core that glues society together. But in this case, we have to give up on being right. Unless you want to continue the circle of violence forever, and your children, and your grandchildren, and your great grandchildren will continue to kill each other. For what? How many people need to die before we get it?"

 

　　On the Palestinian side, although being happy for the release of the prisoners, Qdoura Fares, Director of the Palestinian Prisoners' Club, says it is not fair that Israel decides everything.

 

　　"The feeling is not good because first of all they don't mention all the names of the prisoners in which stages they will be released. And we don't know about anything. Everything has to wait for the decision of the Israeli community. If they recognize they are partners, they have to tell us what they are going to do."

 

　　All the prisoners will return to the West Bank and Gaza Strip according to where their families live. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has stressed the continued effort in releasing all detainees held in Israeli jails, stating the issue is of "top priority".

 

　　For CRI, I'm Jordan Lee.

1 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

2 bereaved   

adj.刚刚丧失亲人的v.使失去（希望、生命等）( bereave的过去式和过去分词)；（尤指死亡）使丧失（亲人、朋友等）；使孤寂；抢走（财物）

参考例句：

• The ceremony was an ordeal for those who had been recently bereaved. 这个仪式对于那些新近丧失亲友的人来说是一种折磨。
• an organization offering counselling for the bereaved 为死者亲友提供辅导的组织

3 logic   

n.逻辑(学)；逻辑性

参考例句：

• What sort of logic is that?这是什么逻辑？
• I don't follow the logic of your argument.我不明白你的论点逻辑性何在。

4 reconciliation   

n.和解，和谐，一致

参考例句：

• He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
• Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。