A senior leader of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in the West Bank was released after two years of detention in an Israeli jail, Palestinian witnesses said Thursday.  

Sheikh Hassan Yousef, head of Hamas political bureau in the West Bank, was arrested in August 2002 during a large-scale Israeli operation.

Israel Radio reported that Yousef, the most high-ranking Hamas activist jailed by Israel, was released after Israeli security intelligence services failed to find out a link between Yousef and suicide bombing attacks carried out by Hamas militants against Israel in the West Bank.

Yousef was shown on Israeli television walking out of the Ofer military jail to his waiting family.

After the release, he immediately traveled to Ramallah, where he placed a wreath and offered prayers at Yasser Arafat's grave.

Yousef called on the new Palestinian leadership to help secure the release of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

"I take with me a message from all prisoners to the Palestinian people," Yousef said. "The issue of prisoners should be a priority, and there can be no truce without solving the issue."

Yousef was not convicted or sentenced by any Israeli military court, since there were no charges brought upon him for involvement in any militant activity.

(Xinhua News Agency November 19, 2004)