Sharon and Abbas make progress on political prisoners
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon met with Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud Abbas in Jerusalem yesterday and agreed to establish a joint committee to guide the release of more Palestinian prisoners in exchange for a clampdown on terrorist activity but balked at the release of 6,000 detainees.
Officials said the two-hour meeting had been stormy but “positive” and Mr Sharon agreed to free up to 400 prisoners.
More could be released if Mr Abbas came down hard on militancy, officials said.
The news will find favour with those who wish to maintain the fragile three-week long cease-fire.
The US-backed road map for peace in the Middle East prepares the way for Palestinian statehood in 2005.
Mr Abbas will now approach militant groups whom pledged to honour a three-month cease-fire founded last month as long as there was movement on the “political” prisoner issue and Israeli withdrawals from the West Bank and areas of Gaza.
Israel has freed 350 detainees thus far.
Separately, Palestinian President Yasser Arafat issued a decree in the territory banning incitement to violence.
The decree prohibits “incitement to racial discrimination, encouraging unlawful acts of violence or resorting to violence, or incitement to resort to violence in relations with brotherly countries and foreign countries”.
The decree also said: “Any person committing any of the above acts will be prosecuted according to the law.”
Mr Sharon and Mr Abbas are expected to meet US president George W Bush between July 25 and July 29.
