Palestinian militants release U.S. student hostage

Palestinian militants early on Sunday set free a U.S. student they had kidnapped as he visited the West Bank city of Nablus, security officials said.

Benjamin Fishbein, who is currently studying at Jerusalem's Hebrew University, was freed and then handed over to Israel, said Rafa Roagbe, head of Palestinian security in Nablus.

"We brought him to the Hawara checkpoint (in the Nablus sector north of the West Bank) and the head of the Israeli security ... received him," Roagbe said, adding that Fishbein was kidnapped on Saturday when he was having coffee at a coffee shop.

During his detention, Fishbein was forced to make a videotaped statement in which he said he would be killed if Israel did not release Palestinian prisoners.

A faction of al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, which is linked to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement, had earlier claimed the kidnapping and issued the videotape.

Roagbe said Palestinian security forces worked with the militant group to find and negotiate Fishbein's release, adding that it appears the militants agreed to quickly release him because he is an American who does not hold Israeli citizenship.

Some 6,000 Palestinians are currently held in Israeli jails.

Source: Xinhua