Brussels, 04/07/2007 (Agence Europe) - All of the European institutions on Wednesday welcomed the release of BBC journalist Alan Johnston early that morning, after more than a hundred days of captivity in Gaza. Like the Portuguese presidency, which welcomes his liberation, Javier Solana, EU high representative for the CFSP, has issued a press release in which he states that he is “delighted and relieved”. This message was echoed by the Commission, a spokesperson for which announced that this is a very good thing for the freedom of the press. In the view of the president of the European Parliament, Hans-Gert Pöttering, the case of Alan Johnston has become a “potent reminder of journalists worldwide working in difficult conditions, often risking their lives, to bring us objective, independent reporting”. Satisfaction and relief too from the leaders of the EPP-ED and ALDE groups, Joseph Daul and Graham Watson respectively, who also hope to see progress in favour of the liberation of Israeli prisoners held by various groups in Gaza on the one hand, and Palestinian political prisoners held by Israel on the other. The issue of Palestine, particularly the control of the Gaza Strip by Hamas, will be a central point of debates during next week's plenary session of the Parliament. Although he was held by an extremist group presenting itself as the “Army of Islam”, Mr Johnston on Wednesday stressed the role played by Hamas in securing his liberation. Speaking alongside him, Ismaël Haniyeh, the former Palestinian prime minister, who comes from the ranks of Hamas, also hoped that an agreement would help to put an end to the detention of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, who has been held in Gaza since 25 June 2006. (ab)