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Israel agrees to pardon dozens more wanted W. Bank militants
By Avi Issacharoff and Aluf Benn, Haaretz Correspondents
tags: Palestinian prisoners 

Israel and the Palestinian Authority have signed a new agreement that would see Israel pardoning dozens more wanted Palestinian militants in the West Bank, in what is widely seen as a further move designed to bolster PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas.

Palestinian security sources told Haaretz that they informed militants throughout the West Bank on Saturday that they were included in the deal.

The agreement is similar to an accord reached by Israel and the PA over three months ago, which pardoned some 180 wanted militants.
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Under the agreement, the wanted militants will have to agree to several conditions: They must reside for roughly a week in PA facilities, hand over their weapons to the PA security forces, sign a commitment not to engage in terrorism against Israel or be a member of a terrorist organization, and agree to remain within their city of residence for three months.

The PA is currently gathering the signatures of the militants, 10 of whom are from the West Bank city of Tul Karm.

Israel to release up to 400 Palestinian prisoners ahead of summit

Israel will release 300 to 400 Palestinian prisoners before the Annapolis summit later this month as a good-will gesture to the Palestinian Authority and its chairman, Mahmoud Abbas.

But this number falls far short of the nearly 2,000 Abbas had requested from Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. The list will not include prisoners who were involved in killing Israelis, described as having "blood on their hands."

The release of the prisoners will be the only good-will gesture before Annapolis. Defense Minister Ehud Barak and the security chiefs are adamant in their opposition to lifting any roadblocks or checkpoints along roadways in the West Bank, fearing that this would undermine security and make it easier for terrorists to strike.

The U.S. has made it clear to Israel that while it recognizes its security needs, if Israel cannot dismantle roadblocks and lift restrictions on Palestinian freedom of movement, it must at least try to improve the way Palestinians are treated at checkpoints and shorten the waiting time.

After he was delayed at an Israel Defense Forces checkpoint, the head of the Palestinian negotiating team, former PA prime minister Ahmed Qureia, canceled a meeting with Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni in Jerusalem.

Livni apologized for the incident and asked the IDF to investigate.

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      1.   if Hamas wanted anywhere near this summit, he would free Gilad 03:40  |  Commonsense 12/11/07
      2.   Israel`s good-will gesture 03:40  |  Nechama 12/11/07
      3.   Israel`s good-will gesture 03:40  |  Nechama 12/11/07
      4.   Must Israel only make GOOD WILL GESTURES? 03:41  |  Nephtaly 12/11/07
      5.   400 criminals 03:51  |  Rabbi Yakov Lazaros 12/11/07
      6.   release and appeasement 04:03  |  Mark 12/11/07
      7.   One stupid move begets another one 04:09  |  Mendeleyev 12/11/07
      8.   IDIOTS! WHEN YOU PROMISE 2000,RELEASE ONLY 400,THEY GET ANGRIER! 04:20  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 12/11/07
      9.   EVERY APPEASMENT LEADS TO MORE & MORE KIDNAPS!!! IDIOTS!!!))) 04:21  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 12/11/07
      10.   This means three or four will be released 04:21  |  Mark Lincoln 12/11/07
      11.   ISRAEL SOFTENED ON CORE ISSUES,JERUSALEM? NO, NOT ISRAEL,LIVNI,OL 04:26  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 12/11/07
      12.   . . . the only good-will gesture before Annapolis 04:34  |  Born In The USA 12/11/07
      13.   release 04:37  |  Shmuelshachor 12/11/07
      14.   What goodwill gestures does Abbas offer!? 04:39  |  Strangelove 12/11/07
      15.   To Mark Lincoln 05:22  |  D L G 12/11/07
      16.   Disaster 05:39  |  Daniel Wein 12/11/07
      17.   Olmert has totally lost it 05:56  |  Jerusalem Jew 12/11/07
      18.   Olmert will ask Israel to be considered a Jewish state? 06:03  |  Jerusalem Jew 12/11/07
      19.   Did you hear about the Palestinian negotiation team members who 06:17  |  Smadar 12/11/07
      20.   Release Shalit First!!! 06:18  |  Jerusalem Jew 12/11/07
      21.   Olmert should go 06:22  |  Jerusalem Jew 12/11/07
      22.   Olmert you MORON! 07:59  |  Mark 12/11/07
      23.   To Abbas: If you want 400, ask for 2000 08:22  |  Nora 12/11/07
      24.   What can One expect from Olmert but Defeat 08:27  |  Dagma 12/11/07
      25.   and when will we see a good-will-gesture from the palestinians? 08:35  |  scallywag 12/11/07
      26.   Goodwill Gestures after Goodwill Gestures/// 08:39  |  Dolly 12/11/07
      27.   Why should Israel release those involved in terror against its 08:41  |  Haim Israeli 12/11/07
      28.   "Falls short" 09:28  |  Clickfool 12/11/07
      29.   Plenty more where they come from 09:30  |  Clickfool 12/11/07
      30.   What the Palestinian leadership should do as a 09:37  |  Geulah 12/11/07
      31.   For Voice of Moshiach #8, #11 etc 09:48  |  Clickfool 12/11/07
      32.   IF Abu-mazan is their leader.. then WHERE IS SHALIT 09:49  |  Kobi 12/11/07
      33.   #10 mark L - can you read the headline again?? 09:52  |  CK Tan 12/11/07
      34.   Geulah the Jerusalemite, what a profound statement! Thanks! 10:17  |  Reuven 12/11/07
      35.   For all those Israel supporters wondering about Palestinian..... 10:22  |  Swiss (Dino) 12/11/07
      36.   OT: Monty Python`s "Life of Otto" 10:29  |  Clickfool 12/11/07
      37.   Dolly- everyone thinks Israel is Mr Nice Guy # 26 10:43  |  Clickfool 12/11/07
      38.   May 400 out but 360 children still in 10:55  |  Dav 12/11/07
      39.   200 children under 16 11:03  |  Dav 12/11/07
      40.   Swiss, these are not "good will gestures" but their responsibilty 11:06  |  Dubi 12/11/07
      41.   CHARGES? 11:17  |  Stephen Connor 12/11/07
      42.   to #30 - that is different from a Jewish state 11:40  |  SD 12/11/07
      43.   MARK #22 12:10  |  Gabe1 12/11/07
      44.   release up to 400 Palestinian prisoners 12:34  |  Ralph 12/11/07
      45.   Condoleezza Rice an existential threat? 12:44  |  Jonathan S 12/11/07
      46.   I must assume the Palestinians don`t really want to negotiate a 12:50  |  Yael 12/11/07
      47.   ISRAEL TO PA " we give you 20% you give us 100% 12:55  |  VIPER 12/11/07
      48.   What you, Geulah # 30, call a gesture of good will should be 13:07  |  David Freedman 12/11/07
      49.   RELEASE THE CHILDREN 13:26  |  NO IFS BUT OR ANDS 12/11/07
      50.   So what is there left to talk about? 13:33  |  Yonatan 12/11/07
      51.   Olmert the incompetent 13:40  |  Yonatan 12/11/07
      52.   Free Pal prisoners in return for Shalit! 14:47  |  Israeli 12/11/07
      53.   Israel arrests daily several Pals, this gesture has no meaning 14:49  |  Petteri 12/11/07
      54.   More free terrorists equal more terrorists with guns 14:58  |  Jack 12/11/07
      55.   #45 JS the german Hasser 15:01  |  Dav 12/11/07
      56.   # 40 Dubi "Play on words....????" 15:04  |  Swiss (Dino) 12/11/07
      57.   its ok so long as they are released in jordan arab palestine 15:07  |  victor hardman 12/11/07
      58.   Jack - Free Terrorists?? 15:34  |  Stephen Connor 12/11/07
      59.   No difference between Arafat and Abbas 15:47  |  Jonathan S 12/11/07
      60.   Lucky Abbas every day for him is Christmas.. 15:47  |  Akram Zekaria 12/11/07
      61.   Hamas and Iran eagerly waiting for Annapolis 15:59  |  Jonathan S 12/11/07
      62.   NO to releasing thugs 16:08  |  Brod 12/11/07
      63.   Release of Prisioners 16:44  |  Max Zaskawsjt 12/11/07
      64.   Release Shalit first 16:48  |  KUTW 12/11/07
      65.   "Without blood in their hands" 16:51  |  KUTW 12/11/07
      66.   Why does moderate Abbas want terrorists free? 16:52  |  KUTW 12/11/07
      67.   Hold It ! I Need Those Prisoners For My Project. 17:08  |  Klaudia 12/11/07
      68.   clockfool...israel owes arabs NO goodwill at all!!! 17:26  |  SHIMON 12/11/07
      69.   What goodwill have the arabs done for the jews!?!? 17:27  |  SHIMON 12/11/07
      70.   #10 Lincoln 17:40  |  * BEN JABO 12/11/07
      71.   Olmert has lost his mind....he MUST demand goodwill in return 18:26  |  SHIMON 12/11/07
      72.   ABBAS AND PALS ACTING LIKE SPOILED TEENAGE GIRLS!!!! 18:27  |  SHIMON 12/11/07
      73.   NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO. NO. NO. NO. 19:02  |  Lily 12/11/07
      74.   NO. 1 - COMMON SENSE - CORRECT!!!! 19:03  |  Lily 12/11/07
      75.   ISRAEL WANTS THREE RELEASED 19:06  |  Lily 12/11/07
      76.   goodwill 20:09  |  Connie 12/11/07
      77.   This is just more Sh**ty Israeli goodwill and control. 20:34  |  Dutch 12/11/07
      78.   Erekat: "No recognition of Israel`s right to exist " 20:35  |  Yaakov K. 12/11/07
      79.   #69 Shimon, the score card.... 20:45  |  dutch 12/11/07
      80.   yeah right! 21:58  |  Shmuel