Mohamed Dahlan security adviser to Palestinian Authority Chairman
Photo: Oren Agmon
Marwan Bargouti serving five life sentences
Photo: Israel Police
PA seeks to free “hardcore” prisoners
The Palestinians are set ask for the release of 310 “hardcore” prisoners; Marwan Bargouti sentenced to five life terms will also be mentioned
TEL AVIV - The Palestinians are set ask for the release of 310 “hardcore” prisoners besides the 900 prisoners to be released by Israel as a goodwill gesture, said Mohamed Dahlan security adviser to Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas.
The 310 prisoners in question have served more than a ten-year sentence and were incarcerated prior to the signing of the Oslo Accords, some were sentence to life.
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Abbas are set to convene within the next few weeks to discuss security reforms and a series of Israeli gestures to be granted to the Palestinian population.
The meeting is due to be held either in Jerusalem or at Sharon’s southern Sycamore Ranch.
It is also likely that Marwan Bargouti, who was sentenced to five life imprisonments for his participation in terror acts against Israel, will also brought up.
Dahlan said this is the first time since 1994 that Israel has agreed to be flexible on the criteria relating to prisoner release.
Israel is likely to release several hundred prisoners without “blood on their hands” as early as next week. The question of prisoners with “blood on their hands” has been discussed at length throughout the security and political echelons in the past two weeks.
While chief of the Shin Bet Security Avi Dichter fiercely opposes the move, Chief-of Staff Moshe Ayalon believes that murderers who have served long prison terms should be released as a goodwill gesture to the newly appointed Palestinian leadership.
As of now, Sharon and a limited number of ministers have endorsed the stance taken by the general security service, but they have left the issue open for further discussion.
In an interview with Egyptian newspaper al-Ahram, Dahlan said the meeting between the leaders will be a continuation of the Sharm summit and is designed to implement the issues discussed there. Discussions will include transfer of security control in four West bank cities and the question of prisoners and wanted Palestinians.
Other topics such as settlements, separation fence and the re-opening of Palestinian institutions in Jerusalem will also be discussed.
Dahlan said the two sides have agreed to set up a joint executive committee that would monitor their activities.
The Israeli-Palestinian committee is set to convene within two days. It is designed to begin implementing understandings reached at the Sharm el-Sheikh summit and preparing the upcoming meeting between Sharon and Abbas.
