'Israel to release Jordanian prisoner Abu Zahrah on Thursday'

AMMAN — The Israeli prison administration has told Akram Abu Zahrah's lawyer, Arwa Hulihil, it will hand him over to the Jordanian authorities on Thursday at the King Hussein Bridge, an activist said Wednesday.

Shireen Nafe, a member of the media team supporting Jordanian prisoners in Israel (Fedaa), said Hulihil informed Abu Zahrah's mother of the news, without any further details on the sudden decision.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Sabah Al Rafie confirmed that Abu Zahrah will be arriving at the King Hussein Bridge on Thursday morning. 

In remarks to the Jordan News Agency, Petra, she said the Jordanian embassy in Tel Aviv is following up on the procedures by the concerned Israeli authorities to release Abu Zahrah.

Abu Zahrah started a hunger strike on January 23 and started refusing water on Saturday, protesting his continued detention after the end of his prison term.

The 47-year-old finished his sentence on January 14 after serving 14 years for protesting against former Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon’s visit to Al Aqsa Mosque, which sparked the second Intifada (uprising).

The Israeli authorities extended Abu Zahrah's term because they cannot allow the freed prisoner to stay there without a residence permit and decided to keep him in prison until Jordanian authorities approve his return, Nafe said in previous remarks.