Despite growing tensions over Israel's decision
to include the Cave of the Patriarchs and Rachel's Tomb on its national heritage sites registrar and the continued construction of the West Bank security barrier, Palestinian sources said Tuesday that Israel has
agreed to pardon 77 wanted Fatah men.
The move is part of the amnesty agreement from 2007, according to which Israel will refrain from hunting down Palestinian gunmen who agree to lay down their arms and renounce terror.
The deal states that the said gunmen are obligated to hand in their weapons to the Palestinian Authority.
The recent list of pardoned gunmen does not include senior Fatah members. Many of the Fatah men who are listed were arrested by the PA for fear they would not honor the amnesty deal.
It was further reported that only a few gunmen received a full pardon, while the rest are required to remain in Area A, which is under full PA control.
In November Israel pardoned
92 wanted members of Fatah's armed wing, the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades.
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