OFER CAMP, West Bank: An Israeli military court yesterday withheld a ruling on the release of Hamas legislators detained after Palestinians abducted an Israeli soldier in a cross-border raid from Gaza in June.
Last week, the court ordered 21 lawmakers and ministers to be freed on bail but delayed their release to consider an appeal by the prosecution to keep them in detention.
A decision had been expected at a session yesterday, but the court, ordering the legislators and ministers to remain in custody, said it would make its ruling soon.
Jawad Boulos, a defence lawyer, said a decision could be issued on Thursday.
The original order to free the men raised speculation in Israel that their release, and possibly freedom for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, would be part of an Egyptian-mediated deal under which the soldier would be returned.
‘They’re keeping them as hostages until the release of Gilad Shalit,’ said Osama al-Saadi, a defence lawyer in the proceedings, referring to the abducted soldier.
Hamas members participated in the raid in which Shalit was seized.
The military prosecution has charged the 21 Hamas detainees with membership in a ‘terrorist group’ and posing a security threat against Israel.
Hamas, which advocates Israel’s destruction, came to power in March after winning a Palestinian election in January.
The defence team argued that Hamas had abided by a truce since 2005 and had ceased suicide bombings in Israel.
‘This is a political detention,’ Aziz Dweik, speaker of the Palestinian parliament, told reporters at the start of the trial.
Dweik and some 30 lawmakers and ministers were arrested after Shalit’s capture, but several have since been released.