Zubeidi released as gesture for Eid al-Fitr

The Palestinian Authority has released former al-Aqsa Brigades commander Zakaria Zubeidi from a Jericho jail on Saturday together with seven other inmates.

Palestinian Interior Minister Said Abu Ali has signed an order for their release as a gesture for Eid al-Fitr, which is marked on Sunday.

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Zubeidi was arrested last May as part of a Palestinian security forces operation in Jenin after shots were fired at Governor Kadura Musa's house. Musa died of a heart attack that same night.

Zubeidi and other officials, some of whom were members of the Palestinian security forces and the al-Aqsa Brigades, were suspected of involvement in the shooting incident.

Losing its grip on the refugee camp in Jenin, the PA had launched a large scale operation to detain suspects.

Last week, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced he was releasing some prisoners as a gesture for the holiday but Zubeidi did not appear on the prisoners list.

On Friday, Zubeidi's brother announced he was launching a hunger strike in protest of his incarceration. Zubeidi claimed he was never formally charged with any offence.

The eight prisoners released Saturday are scheduled to stand trial soon.

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