Riad Ali, a resident of the Galilee in Israel, was kidnapped at gunpoint by Arabs in Gaza City last night.
A few hours before Ali's release, a senior P.A. official said the P.A. had reached an agreement with the kidnappers, saying the journalist would be released "very shortly."
P.A. officials claimed that Hamas was behind the kidnapping but recent developments have led the IDF to claim with certainty that Arafat's Al-Aksa Brigades were behind the incident.
The Al-Aksa Brigades have reportedly released a video recorded while Ali was held captive, in which he is shown saying that he was kidnapped because he was Druze and calling upon other Israeli Druze not to serve in the IDF.
At a press conference following his release, Ali thanked Arafat and CNN for their efforts in securing his release. He did not mention Israeli efforts on his behalf.
CNN itself reported immediately that no organization had claimed responsibility for the abduction, and that the "militant group Hamas" stated that this "ugly incident is a violation of the sanctity of journalism and contradicts the morals of the Palestinian people." It was reported this afternoon, however, that the hostage was in fact being held by members of the Hamas terrorist organization.
CNN correspondent Ben Wedeman said that he, a female photographer and the abducted producer Riad Ali had left their Gaza office in a taxi when a white Peugeot pulled up in front of them, blocking their way. Wedeman said a man in his early 20s and dressed in civilian clothes emerged from the car, stuck a revolver through the taxi window, and "said to me in Arabic, 'Which one of you is Riad?' " Other men, armed with rifles, got out of the car, forced Ali into it and drove away. The CNN report did not note that Ali is an Israeli citizen.
The motives and objectives of the kidnappers are still unknown. As a producer, Ali, 44, reportedly walks around with large amounts of money to pay various people. He has worked for CNN in Judea, Samaria, and Gaza for two years
At CNN headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, CNN President Jim Walton said, "We are working actively for Riad's safe return and are in touch with his family, offering them our full support during this difficult time. We have not yet heard from his abductors but urge them to release Riad immediately. He is a veteran journalist of the highest integrity."
Commanders of the Palestinian Authority para-military police met last night with PA journalists in an attempt to find out where Ali is being held. Israel says that the Palestinian Authority has a "diplomatic and ethical obligation" to ensure that Ali is released safely.
A few hours before Ali's release, a senior P.A. official said the P.A. had reached an agreement with the kidnappers, saying the journalist would be released "very shortly."
P.A. officials claimed that Hamas was behind the kidnapping but recent developments have led the IDF to claim with certainty that Arafat's Al-Aksa Brigades were behind the incident.
The Al-Aksa Brigades have reportedly released a video recorded while Ali was held captive, in which he is shown saying that he was kidnapped because he was Druze and calling upon other Israeli Druze not to serve in the IDF.
At a press conference following his release, Ali thanked Arafat and CNN for their efforts in securing his release. He did not mention Israeli efforts on his behalf.
CNN itself reported immediately that no organization had claimed responsibility for the abduction, and that the "militant group Hamas" stated that this "ugly incident is a violation of the sanctity of journalism and contradicts the morals of the Palestinian people." It was reported this afternoon, however, that the hostage was in fact being held by members of the Hamas terrorist organization.
CNN correspondent Ben Wedeman said that he, a female photographer and the abducted producer Riad Ali had left their Gaza office in a taxi when a white Peugeot pulled up in front of them, blocking their way. Wedeman said a man in his early 20s and dressed in civilian clothes emerged from the car, stuck a revolver through the taxi window, and "said to me in Arabic, 'Which one of you is Riad?' " Other men, armed with rifles, got out of the car, forced Ali into it and drove away. The CNN report did not note that Ali is an Israeli citizen.
The motives and objectives of the kidnappers are still unknown. As a producer, Ali, 44, reportedly walks around with large amounts of money to pay various people. He has worked for CNN in Judea, Samaria, and Gaza for two years
At CNN headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, CNN President Jim Walton said, "We are working actively for Riad's safe return and are in touch with his family, offering them our full support during this difficult time. We have not yet heard from his abductors but urge them to release Riad immediately. He is a veteran journalist of the highest integrity."
Commanders of the Palestinian Authority para-military police met last night with PA journalists in an attempt to find out where Ali is being held. Israel says that the Palestinian Authority has a "diplomatic and ethical obligation" to ensure that Ali is released safely.