Israel releases 2 Palestinian prisoners

Israel freed on Thursday two political prisoners almost three months after an appellate court ordered for their release. Tarik Qadan (40) and Jafar Izzideen (47) were in custody since November 23, and the two political prisoners waged a 93-day hunger strike until the Israeli appeals court passed a ruling on February 27 to release them. Qadan and Izzideen were welcomed by relatives and Palestinians at al-Jalma checkpoint, which separates Israel and Jenin. The two had been taken under Israeli custody several times prior to their November arrest.   According to data from the Palestinian Ministry of Prisoners\' Affairs, there are 4,700 Palestinian prisoners at Israeli jails. Around 320 of them are administrative detainees, who had been apprehended on the basis of an administrative order, without either indictment or trial.