Subscribe to Print Edition | Fri., August 08, 2008 Av 7, 5768 | | Israel Time: 02:47 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Olmert promises to release 100 prisoners to PA By Barak Ravid and Avi Issacharoff Prime Minister Ehud Olmert promised to release more than 100 Palestinian prisoners by the end of August as a gesture of good will to the Palestinian Authority during a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Jerusalem yesterday. Earlier today, the head of the political-security bureau at the Defense Ministry, Amos Gilad, departed for Cairo to meet with Egypt's chief of intelligence, Omar Suleiman, to discuss renewing indirect negotiations with Hamas on the release of abducted soldier, Gilad Shalit. On the agenda in Egypt is also the issue of arms smuggling into the Gaza Strip from Sinai. Advertisement According to veteran Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat, Israel agreed to release 150 prisoners by the end of the month. Erekat said the Palestinian Authority had given a list of prisoners it would like Israel to release, which includes older inmates and others suffering serious medical conditions. The list also included political leaders and members of the Palestinian Legislative Council held in Israel. Erekat stressed the PA requested the release of Marwan Barghouti, the jailed Tanzim leader, as well as Ahmed Sa'adat, the general secretary of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, who ordered the assassination of former tourism minister Rehavam Ze'evi. Olmert refused to commit to the identities of the Palestinian prisoners who would be released or their actual number. Yesterday's meeting lasted two hours, some of which was behind closed doors. Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and her Palestinian counterpart in the negotiations, Ahmed Qureia, also participated in the meeting. A political source described the meeting as a "bolstered exchange" that was meant to discuss progress in the final status negotiations. Olmert and Abbas agreed to meet again at the end of the month. The prime minister told Abbas he had set up a new ministerial committee on Palestinian prisoners with the task of creating a list of prisoners who would be released as a gesture of good will, and a different list of prisoners who would be released in a future swap for Shalit. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Staying out Rice on possible IDF Iran strike: U.S. has no veto over Israeli military operations. Ganei Tallywood Hamas transforms former Gaza settlement into movie lot.

Read & React Israel to free more than 150 Palestinian prisoners as gesture to Abbas Responses: 106 Rights groups slam 'disgraceful' minor charge over shooting of bound Palestinian Responses: 146 Israel to Hezbollah: We won't tolerate arms smuggling Responses: 133 Al-Jazeera apologizes for 'unethical' coverage of Kuntar release Responses: 92 Rice on possible IDF Iran strike: U.S. has no veto over Israeli military operations Responses: 88 More Headlines 02:44 Israel protests planned Ahmadinejad's visit to Turkey 00:35 Barak: Israel-PA peace deal unlikely in 2008 00:40 PRC: Gaza truce may end in 3 weeks if no progress on crossings 18:33 Rice on possible IDF Iran strike: U.S. has no veto over Israeli military ops 02:40 Peres singled out for honor in Olympic opening ceremony 02:34 Gaza women gives birth to quadruplets, husband not allowed into Israel 01:56 Ultra-Orthodox 'Modesty Guard' suspected in beating of J'lem woman 00:59 Three killed as small plane crashes at Haifa airport 01:43 Ministers to meet Monday on policy for release of Palestinian prisoners 00:59 Reputed mob boss arrested over Bat Yam beach murder 20:49 Israel issues tenders for building of West Bank, East Jerusalem homes 22:19 Jewish World / Jewish education is expensive, but worthwhile 23:02 VIDEO / Hamas transforms former Gaza settlement into movie lot 23:34 Gaza students make personal appeal to Rice over revoked visas 01:03 Two days before his first Olympics, Israeli swimmer learns of father's death Previous Editions Select Day 07 aug 06 aug 05 aug 04 aug 03 aug 01 aug 31 jul 30 jul 29 jul 28 jul 27 jul 25 jul

Special Offers Advertisement Fattal Hotel Chain Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel. Isaac Maimon at Dreamshoppe Special summer sale. Make an offer now. You will be surprised. MBA in Israel in English APPLY NOW! Limited spaces available Israel's Premier Real Estate Website www. israel-property.com Yossi Avrahami Presents: New Luxurious Projects in North Tel Aviv & Eilat Your vacation starts here Israel Travel Center Guaranteed Lowest Rates Hebrew Summer courses From $39.95 ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |

Real Estate in Israel | Travel to Israel with Haaretz | Hotels Israel | Restaurants Israel | Tourist attractions Israel | Shops Israel

birthright Israel | Search engine marketing

Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved