About 25 of the 1,150 convicted Palestinian terrorists released in the May 20 prisoner exchange are scheduled to leave Israel next week — but not because of pressure or harassment by Jewish militants.
The 25 are part of the 600 freed prisoners who remained in Israel or in the West Bank and Gaza after the exchange. The Israeli authorities claim they have no right to be here because they did not possess local identification cards prior to their arrests.
The authorities said it had been made clear to those prisoners when they were released from jail that they could not remain in the country longer than 21 days. Their departure will be assisted by the International Red Cross.
There of the freed terrorists who had returned to their homes in the West Bank, left for Jordan shortly after their return because of threats and harassment by Jewish settlers. The three had been serving time in connection with the murder of a Jewish settler from Tekoa.
Shmuel Goren, coordinator of government affairs in the territories, is trying to curb Jewish militants. He met yesterday with members of the Kiryat Arba town council to urge the settlers to maintain law and order.
Meanwhile, members of the disbanded Arab Council of Hebron, various clergymen and other public figures in that Arab town, sent a telegram yesterday to Defense Minister Yitzhak Rabin asking him to prevent further harassment of the released prisoners.
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