The Hindu : Israel to free groups of Palestinian detenus

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jul 07, 2003

International

International

Israel to free groups of Palestinian detenus

Palestinians with an Islamic Jihad flag demand release of their relatives from Israeli jails during a march in Gaza City on Sunday. — AP

JERUSALEM JULY 6. Israel's Cabinet voted on Sunday to release groups of Palestinian prisoners, but the Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, said the release would be conditional on a Palestinian crackdown against militant groups.

Securing the freedom of prisoners is a top priority of the Palestinian Prime Minister, Mahmoud Abbas, and Mr. Sharon said the release would strengthen Mr. Abbas' leadership.

The United States has backed Mr. Abbas' administration, which agreed to a cease-fire with Israel last Sunday and has vowed to crack down on militant groups.

There was no immediate word on the numbers of prisoners who would be released, but earlier in the day, Mr. Sharon met Avi Dichter, chief of Shin Bet, the internal security organisation. Mr. Dichter presented Mr. Sharon with a list of several hundred prisoners who could be released early.

Palestinian officials had no immediate comment on the Cabinet decision. Israel holds some 5,000 Palestinian prisoners and the release is only a small and conditional step toward meeting Palestinian demands of a mass release.

The Cabinet also called for the establishment of a committee that would monitor Palestinian compliance with the U.S.-backed ``road map'' peace plan aimed at halting violence, the Tourism Minister, Benny Elon, said. The release will also be according to guidelines set by the Shin Bet.

``The releases will be carried out in small numbers and will be conditioned on proof that the Palestinians are living up to their security commitments,'' Mr. Sharon said after the Cabinet meeting. ``If there is no Palestinian Authority determination to fight against terror and stop terror, the releases will stop.''

The release is controversial in Israel, where the mass arrests of militants are credited with helping diminish terror attacks. The Ministers were deadlocked at first and the measure was passed only after the Cabinet agreed to set up the monitoring committee.

According to the Government decision, militants who were involved in attacks on Israelis and members of the militant Hamas and Islamic Jihad groups will not be part of the release.

In Gaza City, about 1,200 people, mostly relatives of detainees, marched through the city on Sunday, carrying pictures of family members in Israeli jails and chanting ``No peace without the release of all detainees.'' Also on Sunday, the Israeli Defence Minister, Shaul Mofaz, met the Palestinian security chief, Mohammed Dahlan, to discuss a prisoner release and Palestinian demands for further withdrawals from Palestinian areas. — AP

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

International

Stories in this Section

Israel to free groups of Palestinian detenus

Putin puts off foreign trips after terror attacks

Blair blames Iraq chaos on war `time-table'

U.S.-Turkey impasse persists

Liberia's `Iron Lady' plots peace

Liberals lose to Islamists in Kuwaiti poll

U.S. in the vanguard of fighting terror: Bush

Surgery to separate twins begins

Dyke blown up to release water

Corsicans vote in referendum

Gay Bishop not to assume post

Jamali sees foreign hand in Quetta massacre