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Jailed Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti. (Uriel Sinai)
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Last update - 22:27 02/12/2007
Barghouti: Plan to release only 400 Palestinian prisoners is 'joke'
By Shahar Ilan and Jonathan Lis, Haaretz Correspondents
Tags: Fatah, prisoner release 

Imprisoned Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti on Sunday called Israel's plan to release of just over 400 Palestinian prisoners "a joke," after members of the Knesset's Internal Affairs and Environment Committee visited him at the Hadarim prison.

In an answer to committee chairman MK Ophir Pines-Paz's question, Barghouti said that Israel could have easily freed 8,000 Palestinian prisoners and added that the prisoners that are due for release were supposed to be released anyway in a few months.

On Monday, 429 Palestinian prisoners will be released from Israeli jails, as a goodwill gesture to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. The prisoner release was supposed to be held on Sunday, but was postponed to Monday at the Palestinian Authority's request.
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When asked by MK Moshe Gafni (United Torah Judaism) when the Israeli-Palestinian conflict would end, Barghouti said, "The end of the conflict is very near. We just need a leader with courage to sign [an agreement]."

Barghouti added that if a permanent settlement is reached, Gaza residents would agree to the solution of two states for two peoples.

Barghouti also complained that prisoners have not been given the right to make telephone calls. The complaint was raised again later at a meeting between committee members and Israel Prison Services Commissioner Benny Kaniak, after Pines-Paz asked why it was possible for Yitzhak Rabin's murderer Yigal Amir to carry a cellular phone, while Palestinian prisoners were not even allowed to hold phone conversations.

Kaniak responded that Israel Prison Services (IPS) were the only ones fighting to limit Amir's freedoms, and maintained that every extra right given to Amir was made by a legal decision.

Kaniak also said that there are some jail cells that are unfit for humans, and added that the IPS would invest NIS 20 million in renovating older prison cells.

In March 2009, the first private prison is due to open its doors. Kaniak said that in the past eight years in the United States the number of prisoners grew five times its original number, where many prisons have gone through privatization processes.

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      1.   Prisoner release 18:30  |  Chris 02/12/07
      2.   Free Barghouti 18:43  |  Tito Anselmi 02/12/07
      3.   Of course it`s a joke! 18:51  |  Ramzi, a Palestinian 02/12/07
      4.   Not one terroritst should be released 18:54  |  JD 02/12/07
      5.   GUESS WHAT Barghouti we can also release NO Prisoners 19:03  |  Gil 02/12/07
      6.   Stop being intimidated by the terror infested WB/Gaza Leaders 19:04  |  Max the Horoscope 02/12/07
      7.   The funny joke 19:04  |  KUTW 02/12/07
      8.   Free Shalit 19:05  |  KUTW 02/12/07
      9.   Ramzi, if it is a "joke", laugh, laugh while the families 19:20  |  Yehuda Israeli 02/12/07
      10.   Barghouti 19:26  |  Barney Panofsky 02/12/07
      11.   KUTW. Really? 19:36  |  Hubal 02/12/07
      12.   A typical Olmert move 19:37  |  Mark Lincoln 02/12/07
      13.   #2 Tito Anselmi Italy 19:49  |  * BEN JABO 02/12/07
      14.   Ramzi al-Asmar from Bethesda, why don`t you 19:50  |  Lavi 02/12/07
      15.   Barghouti could easily release Shalit...I don`t see him 19:52  |  bf 02/12/07
      16.   #12 Hubal - your understanding is INCORRECT 19:53  |  * BEN JABO 02/12/07
      17.   Joke 19:53  |  Steven 02/12/07
      18.   Mr Bs expectation that he can take over Israel is a BIGGER Joke! 20:13  |  Alan 02/12/07
      19.   Gratitude of no one 20:13  |  Ron 02/12/07
      20.   11. Hubal: Really 20:17  |  KUTW 02/12/07
      21.   barghouti 20:21  |  vik 02/12/07
      22.   Israel only wants 4 FOUR released in good health 20:32  |  lily 02/12/07
      23.   Yehuda Israel & Lavi 20:32  |  Ramzi, a Palestinian 02/12/07
      24.   Barguouti & Kuntar are most useful staying there to the very end! 20:50  |  Uzi 02/12/07
      25.   The Arabs must make very painful concessions for real peace! 20:51  |  Uzi 02/12/07
      26.   Equitable & practical Partition Plan that may work for a change: 20:54  |  Uzi 02/12/07
      27.   The only joke 21:01  |  ChanahS 02/12/07
      28.   Its never enough for them...why should Israel release convicted 21:14  |  Marwan مروان خوري 02/12/07
      29.   Ramzi about terrorism 21:16  |  Yehuda Israeli 02/12/07
      30.   the joke 21:20  |  Shmuelshachor 02/12/07
      31.   Some joke 21:21  |  Uzi 02/12/07
      32.   * BEN JABO#16- By your own logic(minimal) 21:21  |  Hubal 02/12/07
      33.   KUTW. #20 What a shame 21:29  |  Hubal 02/12/07
      34.   Visiting MKs = The Real Joke 21:37  |  Tod Zuckerman 02/12/07
      35.   " AL KATRAZ" 21:37  |  Stephen. 02/12/07
      36.   WE SHOULD RELEASE SEVERAL THOUSAND 21:50  |  Robert 02/12/07
      37.   Barghouti is a joke 22:04  |  Joe Sittizen 02/12/07
      38.   israeli terrorists should be jailed too 22:09  |  George 02/12/07
      39.   Ramzi if the PA had kept the provisions of the roadmap 22:33  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 02/12/07
      40.   BARGHOUTI`S A TERRORIST & MURDERER, PUT IN DARK HOLE, SILENCED 22:54  |  David P 02/12/07
      41.   It is a joke! 22:57  |  CLickfool 02/12/07
      42.   Respnse--Do not release--let`s see who laughs 23:36  |  Joseph 02/12/07
      43.   Beggars being choosers 23:46  |  Awake 02/12/07
      44.   Yigal amir cellphone 00:21  |  Michael 03/12/07
      45.   33. Hubal: What a shame 01:04  |  KUTW 03/12/07
      46.   Terrible Joke 01:18  |  TOBIA 03/12/07
      47.   KUTW 01:31  |  Hubal 03/12/07
      48.   Yehuda Israeli 01:50  |  Ramzi, a Palestinian 03/12/07
      49.   Shameful to release any!! 01:56  |  Dr Eric 03/12/07
      50.   Margie in TA 01:58  |  Ramzi, a Palestinian 03/12/07
      51.   #38 Cry Over What 02:17  |  TOIBIa 03/12/07
      52.   #32 Hubal - by your very own words 02:18  |  * BEN JABO 03/12/07
      53.   Tito Anselmi 02:28  |  ottomatik 03/12/07
      54.   What a pathetic begger he is! 02:43  |  dovale 03/12/07
      55.   release SHALIT! 03:33  |  stuart 03/12/07
      56.   47Hubal 08:26  |  KUTW 03/12/07
      57.   * BEN JABO #52 10:45  |  Hubal 03/12/07
      58.   KUTW 10:52  |  Hubal 03/12/07
      59.   #57 Hubal - my oversight 18:15  |  * BEN JABO 03/12/07
      60.   jd 3 17:44  |  realism 04/12/07
      61.   ben jabo 59 17:54  |  realism 04/12/07
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