Israel postpones prisoner release
Government approves release of 230 Palestinians as goodwill gesture in honor of Muslim holiday, but Ynet learns move delayed by one week, most likely due to PA political reasons
A number of Palestinian media outlets reported that sources in Ramallah had said Israel informed the Palestinian Authority of its decision to postpone the release.
Sources in Jerusalem estimated that the release was delayed as per the request of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who is currently in the midst of the pilgrimage to Mecca.
Abbas is expected to attend a luncheon organized by Saudi King Abdullah on Tuesday afternoon, and will return to Israel in two days, after meeting with Jordan's King Abdullah in Amman.
According to Israeli estimates, Abbas wishes to greet the freed prisoners in order to bolster his position ahead of the decision on the identity of the new Palestinian Authority president, which is expected to be made In January. This report has not been confirmed by any official source.
The previous prisoner release as a goodwill gesture to Abbas took place on August 25, when 198 Palestinians were freed by Israel, two of them defined as prisoners "with blood on their hands".
The Israeli rationale for the release of prisoners affiliated with Fatah and other pragmatic organizations willing to negotiate with Israel is to bolster them and weaken Hamas and the radical terror organizations.
Nonetheless, there are many elements in Israel - particularly officials and organizations working for the release of kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit - who claim that the Olmert government's approach is wrong. Among those who voted against the release were Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz and Shas' four ministers.
On Sunday, Ynet learned of another Israeli gesture to the Palestinians – a full pardon to another group of 45 men belonging to the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, an offshoot of Abbas' Fatah movement.
The full pardon allows the men complete freedom of movement in the territories and beyond. The gesture, made in the framework of last year's amnesty agreement between Jerusalem and the Palestinian Authority, was finalized following a meeting of Israeli and Palestinian officials.
Earlier on Sunday Defense Minister Ehud Barak informed Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad of a series of Israeli gestures in honor of the Eid al-Adha holiday.
In their meeting, Barak told Fayyad that Israel will allow first-degree relatives – men above 40 and women of all ages – from Judea and Samaria into the Green Line. In addition, Arab Israelis will be allowed to enter Area A in the West Bank, and men aged 45 and above will be given permits to head to Temple Mount.
Roee Nahmias contributed to this report
