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Military Court Frees Palestinian Deputy Prime Minister; Israel Still Holds Rest

Deputy Palestinian Prime Minister Nassir Shaer was released from Israeli custody on Wednesday after a military court ordered him set free for "lack of evidence." Shaer was one of more than 30 Palestinian legislators arrested by Israel, apparently to use as bargaining chips to obtain the release of Cpl. Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier who was kidnapped in a cross-border raid by three terrorist groups on June 25. Israel continues to hold the others. Despite ordering his release, the court banned Shaer from entering Ramallah for the next two weeks and did not give an explanation for the order. Ramallah is where the Palestinian Legislative Council is located. A military court also reversed a September 12 ruling ordering the release of 18 of the other detained legislators.