The longest-serving Palestinian prisoner Karim Younes was released on Thursday, after forty years in Israeli jails.
Younes has been in Israeli jails since 6 January 1983. He was initially sentenced to death over killing an occupation soldier in 1980, but his sentence was later modified to a 40-year term.
He was freed from Hadarim Prison, north of Tel Aviv, at 4 a.m, the Times of Israel reported.
With a black and white keffiyeh wrapped around his shoulders, the now 64-year-old Younis was met by hundreds of supporters singing the Palestinian national anthem in his home village of ‘Ara.
Watch: Karim Younis, the longest-serving Palestinian prisoner who spent 40 years in Israeli prisons and was released this morning, sings for the flag of Palestine. pic.twitter.com/cwCnRbWXY7
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) January 5, 2023
“Every prisoner’s story is the story of an entire people and I am proud to be one of those who sacrificed for Palestine,” Younis said.
“Forty years have passed as if they were nothing, because we consider this to be one of the main pillars of the struggle,” said Younis, who was carried through the village while holding a Palestinian flag.
Channel 13 reported that Israeli ‘National Security’ Minister Itamar Ben Gvir ordered Younes be released before dawn in an effort to thwart festivities outside the facility.
Though his family came to the prison to pick him up, Younes was taken away in an Israeli Prison Service van and handed over to occupation police, who dropped him off at Ra’anana’s Central Bus Station, the Israeli channel reported, adding that his family eventually picked him up at 6 a.m.
“The method of release shows how afraid the authorities are that we will celebrate,” an unnamed family member told the network.
Watch: The longest-serving Palestinian prisoner, Karim Younis, visits his father’s grave after being released this morning from Israeli prisons where he spent 40 years inside.#FreeThemAll pic.twitter.com/nT2MWO72oa
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) January 5, 2023
Palestinian Teen Shot Dead near Nablus
Meanwhile on Thursday, Israeli occupation forces killed a Palestinian teen during a raid to Balat refugee camp near Nablus.
Palestinian media identified the martyr as 16-year-old Ammer Abu Zaytoun, who was shot in his head at dawn on Thursday.
Settlers Strom Al-Aqsa
Thursday also witnessed more provocative measures by Zionist settlers in Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Palestinian media reported that dozens of Israeli settlers broke into the holy compound and performed Jewish prayers there.
Talmudic rituals near the Western Wall pic.twitter.com/jmY1zvTU1C
— AlQastal News (@QastalNewsEn) January 5, 2023
The provocative measure came two days after Zionist supremacist Ben-Gvir vicited Al-Aqsa for first time as a security minister, prompting wide condemnations by Palestinian resistance factions, Palestinian Authority and several Arab states.
Source: Palestinian and Israeli media (translated and edited by Al-Manar English Website)
