Olmert and Abbas at the summit last week
Photo: Reuters
Olmert won't bring release of prisoners to government
Prime minister won't keep promise broadcast live from Sharem el-Sheik summit to bring up release of 250 Palestinian prisoners at next cabinet meeting. PA officials: 'Instead of helping Abbas, Olmert is inflicting serious harm'
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will apparently go back on his stated intention to bring to government discussion the possible release of 250 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails on Sunday.
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Last Monday Olmert spoke before the leaders assembled at the Sharem el-Sheik summit and pledged he would bring the proposal to his government for approval on Sunday.
Olmert's office said in response that the prime minister had every intention of bringing the matter before the cabinet but the lists detailing which prisoners would be released are not yet ready. Officials close to the prime minister said however that Olmert is already fully prepared to fulfill his promise to Jordanian King Abdullah II and on Sunday the government will debate the release of four terrorists who killed an officer and a soldier in the Jordan River Valley in 1990.
On the eve of the summit last week Olmert's office said the prime minister had no intention of releasing prisoners to strengthen Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. However the next afternoon Olmert stood before Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, King Abdullah II and Abbas and pledged he would release 250 Fatah prisoners “without blood on their hands” as a gesture of goodwill toward the Palestinians, with a promise that the freed prisoners would not take part in terrorism.
Palestinian sources told Ynet on Saturday evening that they are concerned about the possibility of the matter not being implemented as Olmert had said. According to the sources other promises made by Olmert like the easing of travel restrictions in the West Bank and the establishment of a means to transfer funds to the Palestinian Authority have also yet to be implemented. "Instead of helping Abbas, Olmert is inflicting serious harm," said the sources.
Ali Waked contributed to this report
