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Last update - 13:27 24/08/2008
Israel to free 199 jailed Palestinians on Monday
By Jonathan Lis, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: prisoner release, Israel 

Israel will release 199 Palestinian prisoners in the West Bank at 9:30 A.M. on Monday, as a gesture of goodwill to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

The state on Sunday responded to appeals against the prisoner release by saying only the cabinet has the authority to revoke such a decision.

The cabinet voted last week in favor of the release, which includes two prisoners convicted of murdering Israelis - both of whom have already spent nearly 30 years in jail - plus 197 convicted of lesser offenses, including attempted murder.
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The prisoners will be released on the same day U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrives in the region for talks on the peace process.

Shin Bet chief Yuval Diskin said last week that the deal "creates pressure on Hamas and is likely to accelerate the negotiations over Gilad Shalit."

The cabinet held three separate votes on the prisoner issue. The release of the two prisoners with "blood on their hands" was approved by all the ministers except Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz and Public Security Minister Avi Dichter, and all but Mofaz approved the release of the other 197.

These include 26 people who were sentenced to terms of 10 to 16 years for attempted murder - i.e., shooting attacks or bombings - as well as many convicted of lesser offenses, such as aiding more senior terrorists, illegal weapons possession or membership in a terrorist organization.

The third vote, held at Dichter's request, related to an additional prisoner, the only one on the original list of names to come from Gaza. Dichter argued that no Gazans should be released until Shalit is freed, and the other ministers accepted this position, voting to strike him from the list.

Last December, Israel released 429 Palestinian prisoners, in an earlier gesture meant to strengthen Abbas after both Israel and the Palestinians decided at laa U.S.-sponsored Mideast conference in Annapolis to try to reach a peace deal by the end of 2008.

Related articles:
  • Israel to free more than 150 Palestinian prisoners as gesture to Abbas
  • Shin Bet: Release of Palestinian prisoners puts pressure on Hamas
  • Abbas vows to dismantle PA if Israel frees Hamas prisoners for Shalit
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      1.   And the Left once again leaves Gilad Shalit behind 13:43  |  Binyamin Dissen 24/08/08
      2.   Gosh - what a coincidence.... 13:51  |  Palestinian Brit 24/08/08
      3.   Gesture 14:26  |  Ralph 24/08/08
      4.   Releasing 199 prisoners 14:50  |  madeleine7 24/08/08
      5.   Pleasing U.S Israel`s Government Seek To INCREASE MURDER & TERROR 15:32  |  Linda Rivera 24/08/08
      6.   Release of Pal prisoners 15:48  |  Michael T 24/08/08
      7.   Something not kosher 15:54  |  Ishshay 24/08/08
      8.   No Favors Done 16:22  |  Cool B 24/08/08
      9.   What will Israel get if it doesn`t release prisoners? 17:10  |  Palestinian Brit 24/08/08
      10.   New Elections Need to Be Held New Leaders Are Needed Now 17:32  |  SHepherd 24/08/08
      11.   Pals. release 19:59  |  Sank 24/08/08
      12.   fairly empty gesture 20:17  |  rm 24/08/08
      13.   #9 Pal Brit....just another form of blackmail. 22:30  |  Lynn 24/08/08
      14.   No Favors Done 00:08  |  CHAIM R-B 25/08/08
      15.   199 freed, 450 in 01:13  |  sami 25/08/08
      16.   #2 Palestinia Brit here is an answer 01:30  |  Labhras 25/08/08
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