Palestinian prisoners head home

Released prisoners were greeted by relatives and friends

Hundreds of Palestinian prisoners have been freed by Israel in a goodwill gesture aimed at bolstering the US-backed peace plan.

Prisoners flashed victory signs and kissed the ground as they were reunited with relatives in the West Bank and Gaza.

Israel says it freed about 340 "security prisoners" who have not been involved in fatal attacks on Israelis.

Palestinians want all 6,000 prisoners believed to be held by Israel to be set free, and have criticised the current releases as insufficient.

Israel has said it will release another 100 prisoners later on.

Militant groups such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad have condemned the releases as a publicity stunt.

The dispute has become one of the main obstacles blocking progress with the US-backed roadmap peace plan, even though the issue of prisoner releases is not part of its terms.

As the prisoner releases got under way, Israel sent tanks into the West Bank city of Jericho in the first large-scale foray into Palestinian territory for several months.

Muted celebrations

Cheering crowds greeted the prisoners as they arrived at four West Bank checkpoints and the Erez checkpoint in the Gaza Strip.

In pictures: Israeli amnesty Bittersweet joy of freedom

As they disembarked from Israeli buses, many knelt down and kissed the earth, as relatives and friends applauded.

"I'm happy," said 21-year-old Hamad al-Rimawi, who had served 15 months of a 20-month sentence. "But my happiness will be complete when all my friends are released."

Another freed prisoner, Hamas member Mohammed Abu Daher, said the releases were "a big trick from the Israeli occupation".

The prisoners smiled and waved, before boarding Palestinian buses or taxis to return to their homes.

The BBC's James Rodgers in Gaza says setting the prisoners free is supposed to be a confidence-building measure, but it may have the opposite effect.

Many Palestinians are angry that the number of those released falls short of the 540 prisoners Israel pledged to free last week.

Senior Hamas leader Abdelaziz Rantissi said the releases were a "drama" staged by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon for the cameras.

"If Israel doesn't release all prisoners this will destroy the hudna (truce)," he told French news agency AFP.

Nabil Abu Rudeina, a spokesman for Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, also said the releases were "not enough".

"Israel has retracted from its agreements with the Palestinian side," he said. "This step does not represent progress. We want the release of all the prisoners on a fixed timescale."

Some Israelis are dismayed that the release is going ahead at all.

Yuval Steinitz, chairman of the Knesset's foreign affairs and defence committee, said past experience suggested that the releases were a mistake.

"We released thousands of terrorists immediately after Oslo in 1993 and 1994," he said.

"And in 1995 terrorism began to escalate, including suicide bombing terrorism. Let's hope that this time it will be different."

West Bank incursion

As the prisoners were driven to freedom, Israel sent troops into the West Bank city of Jericho.

At least 10 Palestinians were detained, French news agency AFP quoted witnesses as saying.

ISRAELI RELEASES 183 people convicted of helping militants or engaging in violence against Israel At least 139 held without charge Nearly 100 others charged with criminal offences or entering Israel illegally

It is the first large-scale foray into Palestinian territory since Palestinian militant groups declared a ceasefire in June.

Israel has expressed concern that militants are using the truce as an opportunity to strengthen and rearm following intensive operations against them by Israel over the past few months.

Tensions heightened in Israel on Wednesday, when a car exploded in Tel Aviv, killing the driver.

Police said the motive was criminal and "not a terrorist attack".