Palestinian Legislative Council speaker Aziz Dweik (photo:AFP)

(VOVworld) - Israel has released the speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council Aziz Dweik after almost a year in prison following an army crackdown over the kidnapping of three Israeli teenagers. Dweik was arrested on June 16 last year as Israel staged a massive manhunt for three teenagers who were snatched from a road in the southern West Bank by Palestinian militants linked to Hamas. 12 of the 130 MPs in the Palestinian Legislative Council are being held by Israel, including Dweik.