Fatah lawmaker defends exchanging Israeli hostage for prisoners

A Palestinian legislator representing the Fatah Movement defended on Monday the capture of an Israeli soldier for release of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

"Abducting Israeli soldiers in exchange for release of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails is a legitimate right and an act of self-defense," said Eissa Qaraqea, chief of Palestinian prisoners' club association.

Three Palestinian militant groups holding an Israeli soldier set 6:00 a.m. (0300 GMT) Tuesday as the deadline for Israel to free Palestinian women and minors as well as 1,000 Palestinian, Arab and Muslim prisoners in Israeli jails for information of the hostage.

The Israeli government rejected the ultimatum, vowing not to bow to extortion by the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) or the Hamas-led government.

Qaraqea accused Israel of "encouraging the principle of prisoner exchange because it held a hard-line position over the past years in peace negotiations to release Arab and Palestinian prisoners."

"Israel also violates other countries' sovereignty to get back its soldier," he added.

It was the first abduction of Israeli soldiers in the Palestinian territories, who has been taken for more than 10 days.

Israeli forces launched an operation code-named "Summer Rains" against the Gaza Strip on June 28 to secure the return of Galid Shalit, while refusing to negotiate on releasing Palestinian prisoners.

Source: Xinhua