RAMALLAH, December 26, 2016 (WAFA) – A Palestinian prisoner released in the 2011 exchange of prisoners with Israel was re-arrested on Monday and his former life term sentences reinstated, according to his family.

The Palestinian Prisoner’s Society (PPS) said the family of former prisoner Nayef Radwan, from the village of Qibya in the Ramallah area, confirmed that the Israeli authorities arrested their son when he went to a hearing at Ofer military court.

It said Radwan, who was serving two life terms plus 30 years when he was released in the exchange with Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit after serving 17 years in prison, went to Ofer near Ramallah for a hearing after the military prosecutor appealed a court order to release him after his re-arrest in 2014.

Israel re-arrested a number of freed Palestinian prisoners in 2014, including Radwan, to avenge the abduction and killing of three Israelis in the West Bank by Hamas operatives.

Many who were serving life terms had their former sentences reinstated.

Radwan’s family said the court in 2014 ruled to release him on condition that he will not leave his home village and has to appear every Thursday at a police station to sign in as well as imposing a bail of $15,000 and commitment to appear in court whenever asked to do so.

However, the family was surprised when it was informed that its son has been re-arrested and that he will remain in prison to serve his former two life terms plus 30 years sentence.

M.K.