Israeli cabinet approves release of 250 Palestinian prisoners

Sunday November 30, 2008 19:07 by Rami Almeghari - IMEMC & Agencies

In its weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday, the Israeli government approved the release of 250 Palestinian prisoners, as the outgoing Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, pledged two weeks ago.

According to Israeli media outlets, the cabinet's decision was a 'good-will' gesture to Palestinian Authority's president Mahmoud Abbas, who has been involved in peace talks with Israel following the Islamist Hamas's takeover of Gaza last year.

The outlets said that the list of would-be prisoners will not include prisoners of any Palestinian Islamic party, but rather of the secular Fatah party of Abbas, which holds sway in the West Bank.

Israeli foreign minister, Tsipi Livni, agreed to the decisions , but emphasized on the need for Israel to simultaneously take tough actions against the Hamas party in Gaza, which she said has refused peace talks with Israel until Israel halts attacks against the Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank.

However, at least four other opposition ministers, including Shaol Mofaz, rejected the release decision. Top Palestinian negotiator, Saeb Erekat, meanwhile, considered the move imperative for every Palestinian household, calling for the release of Palestinians with long-term sentences such as Marwan Barghouthi, the founder of Fatah's armed wing in the West Bank.

Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, and Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, met two weeks ago in West Jerusalem, and Olmert pledged to Abbas the release of 250 Palestinian prisoners.

In related news, Israeli sources revealed that Israel will consider releasing more than 40 Palestinian high-profile prisoners, including MPs and lawmakers, by next year, as many of these prisoners have spent two to three years in prison.

In August, Israel released 200 Palestinian prisoners of the Fatah party, ahead of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan. Although the planned release of 250 Palestinian prisoners will coincide with the Muslim holiday of Eid-Aladha, more than 11,000 prisoners are still held in Israeli prison camps, with the number growing each day.

palestine | prisoners | news report rami at imemc dot org