'They're the ones who wronged us': Freed Palestinian prisoner rebukes UK and US over 'harm they've caused'

One of the astir high-profile prisoners to beryllium released by Israel has told Sky News that the satellite has ignored Palestinians and says Britain is 1 of the countries helium blames for taking distant his freedom.

Zakaria Zubeidi was imprisoned successful 2019 aft being recovered blameworthy by an Israeli subject tribunal of engagement successful terrorism.

He was released arsenic portion of the ceasefire statement and welcomed backmost to the West Bank by crowds of well-wishers, including the antheral who was premier curate little than a twelvemonth ago.

In his archetypal interrogation with a European broadcaster, Zubeidi told Sky News helium inactive believes successful "a absorption that volition pb america to freedom" but claimed that Israeli concern of the West Bank was wholly down to the planetary community.

"My beingness is worthless without freedom," helium said, speaking successful Ramallah. "Freedom has nary price. But the satellite that has denied maine my state - peculiarly Britain, France, and the United States - indispensable instrumentality what they person taken from maine and my children.

"They are the ones who request to reconsider their mistakes, not me.

"They are the ones who person wronged us, and they should deliberation astir rectifying the harm they person caused to maine and my children."

Zubeidi, whose mother, member and lad person each died arsenic a effect of Israeli subject action, has admitted engagement successful a 2002 bombing that killed six people.

However, helium has besides been acclaimed by galore successful the West Bank arsenic a awesome of the resistance.

He was famously portion of a radical of prisoners who concisely escaped their Israeli jailhouse aft utilizing room utensils to excavation a tunnel.

"My connection to the Palestinian radical is to prioritise their information and well-being due to the fact that the battle being carried retired against them is immense. I person nary connection for the concern [Israel]," helium said.

"My connection is to the satellite - the aforesaid satellite that granted the concern the close to unrecorded connected my onshore - to assistance maine my freedom."

In communal with galore different released prisoners, helium claimed to person been beaten portion down bars, saying: "The concern successful Israeli prisons is highly harsh. We've witnessed it all: terrible beatings, onslaught dogs, relentless insults. Every signifier of maltreatment imaginable has been inflicted connected the bodies of our prisoners."

While galore successful Israel volition see Zubeidi to beryllium a dangerous, murderous extremist, helium is considered a totemic fig successful the West Bank, and a earthy person successful Jenin, wherever helium grew up successful a exile camp.

After being released, Israeli authorities banned him from returning to Jenin.

Instead, helium has remained successful Ramallah, wherever a agelong enactment of radical came to a schoolhouse gathering to shingle his manus and hug him.

Among them, erstwhile premier curate Mohammad Shtayyeh, who resigned little than a twelvemonth ago.

He embraced Zubeidi and told Sky News the merchandise of prisoners could beryllium a catalyst for an enduring bid deal.

"We would similar to spot each prisoners released and we would similar to spot each hostages going home," said Mr Shtayyeh.

He continued: "It's a historical infinitesimal for everybody. It's clip for this bloodshed to stop. And I deliberation it is simply a infinitesimal of information for everybody.

"In Gaza, 60,000 radical person been killed, much than 120,000 person been injured. And of course, determination person been truthful galore casualties successful Israel, too.

"We cognize that. And this clip Palestinians are hopeless for peace. We privation a genuine bid process that does truly bring bid and justness for everybody."

More than 47,000 Palestinians person been killed successful Israel's offensive, according to Hamas-run authorities successful Gaza, which does not separate betwixt civilians and combatants.

The violative followed Hamas's onslaught connected Israel connected 7 October 2023, erstwhile it took 250 radical hostage and killed astir 1,200 others.