Police go on pre-summit terror alert
Security measures increased in preparation for summit; wanted Palestinians to receive protection in Bethlehem and Jericho
TEL AVIV - Police are set to increase security operations throughout the country in preparation for the Sharm el-Sheikh summit Tuesday, fearing a possible terror attack.
The Police operations department plan to increase their presence at checkpoints, as well as increase the number of open and covert patrols. They are scheduled to meet tomorrow for another situation assessment.
US State Department Official William Burns unexpectedly arrived in Sharm el-Sheikh Sunday, two days before the planned summit between Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Jordanian King abdullah.
Prisoner release crisis
Israeli and Palestinian officials met Saturday night in Jerusalem in an attempt to diffuse the crisis regarding Palestinian prisoners which is casting a dark cloud over preparations for Tuesday's summit in Sharm el-Sheikh.
Dov Weisglass, senior aide to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, and Mohammed Dahlan, senior advisor to Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, met in a bid to find an opening agreeable to both sides.
The meeting, defined as positive, dealt with the transfer of Palestinian responsibility to the West Bank cities. The central issue discussed was Israel's list of wanted Palestinian terror suspects.
According to Palestinian sources, those listed would be transferred to either Bethlehem or Jericho to allow for the Palestinian Authority to take over responsibility.
Israel would commit to not harming them as long as they remain in the two cities.
The suspects would return home following the IDF's withdrawal from the territories and the end of the Intifada.
Palestinians want role in deciding who goes free
Following a sharp debate in the political and defense establishment, Israel has decided at this stage not to release Palestinians “with blood on their hands.”
Palestinians officials are demanding a role in assembling a list of candidates for release and that Israel show more flexible regarding who is eligible. This would allow for older prisoners convicted of crimes prior to the Oslo Accords to go free.
It was decided to create a joint Israel-Palestinian committee that would continue to discuss the matter.
At the moment, the prisoner issue is the most pressing matter facing the new Palestinian government. Abbas is under enormous domestic pressure to secure freedom for 8,000 prisoners, among the most emotive issues for ordinary Palestinians, many of whom have relatives in Israeli jails and see their release as a sign of peace and goodwill.
“The (Palestinian) Authority must show that it can free veteran, sick prisoners,” a Palestinian source told Ynetnews. “This will help Abu Mazen (Abbas) exponentially in the street and contribute greatly to the success of the Sharm summit.”
'Both sides have interest in success of summit'
“Both sides have an interest in the summit being a success,” the source added. “A real and serious release of prisoners would create a new atmosphere in the Palestinian street, which so far has heard only words and announcements, but nothing is happening on the ground.”
Nabil Abu Rdainah, an adviser to Abbas, also urged Israel to be flexible on prisoner releases to avoid a crisis at Tuesday's summit.
A meeting Thursday between Israeli and Palestinian officials collapsed due to disagreements over the release of prisoners. Israel disappointed the Palestinian leadership by refusing to include those jailed for deadly attacks among the 900 prisoners whom Sharon and top cabinet ministers agreed on Thursday to release in a goodwill gesture.
"We hope that we can bypass this problem within the coming 48 hours in order to ensure the success of the summit," Nabil Abu Rdainah, an Abbas adviser, said Saturday.
"Efforts are being exerted to agree on a formula in order to come out with a satisfactory solution," Abu Rdainah said. "We hope we will be able to reach that point before the summit".
- Reuters contributed to this report
See also:
