Israel Frees 9 Jordanian Prisoners Activists Dressed Like Bombers Participate In Hamas Rally

Hamas activists dressed as suicide bombers marched in a display of menace and triumph in the West Bank town of Nablus Monday, white death shrouds covering their heads and fake explosives lining their belts.

Even as 4,000 people cheered at the rally celebrating the freeing of Hamas founder Sheik Ahmed Yassin, Israel released nine more Arab prisoners as part of a deal cut with Jordan over a bungled attempt on the life of another Hamas leader.

The prisoners, all Jordanian citizens, were flown by helicopter to Jordan, where sources said none would go to prison. None was a Hamas member or had been involved in attacks on Israelis, government spokesman Moshe Fogel said. Most were jailed for security offenses.

But a Jordanian official speaking on condition of anonymity said Jordanians convicted of carrying out attacks in which Israelis were killed could be among the 20 to 30 prisoners still to be freed.

In its part of the deal, Jordan has released two agents from Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency who were involved in the Sept. 25 assassination attempt on Hamas political strategist Khalid Mashaal.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who authorized the widely lambasted operation, stayed away Monday from a special parliament discussion about the embarrassing operation.

“There is no doubt that he is evading this debate and degrading the Knesset and himself,” said opposition leader Ehud Barak of the Labor Party.

Mashaal addressed marchers at the rally in Nablus via telephone from Jordan.

“Netanyahu wanted to give my head to the Zionists as a present,” he said. “But the arrow shot back at him.”

Yassin addressed the rally as well, by telephone from his home in the Gaza Strip. He urged students at An Najah University, a Hamas stronghold, to commit themselves to their studies, saying “only the educated can build the nation.”

Eight activists marched with red headbands tied over white hoods to symbolize blood. Another eight, representing Hamas gunmen, wore military fatigues, masked their faces and swung fake assault rifles made of wood.