new prisoner release

Crowds greet freed Palestinians

Jubilant crowds in the West Bank have welcomed home busloads of Palestinians set free from Israeli jails.

Israel said the release of more than 220 Palestinians was a goodwill gesture towards Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

Most of those released are linked to Mr Abbas's Fatah faction, which is dominant in the West Bank.

There was a similar release of 200 Palestinians in August, but about 10,000 still remain in Israeli jails.

Of these more than 550 are in administrative detention - held without charge or trial.

More than 40 members of the Palestinian parliament, most representing the militant movement Hamas, are among the prisoners.