Palestinians unhappy with prisoner list
Palestinians, whilst welcoming Israel’s publication of a list of 342 Palestinian prisoners it plans to free on Wednesday, said Ariel Sharon’s government had not gone far enough.
Earlier this month, Israel had hinted at the release 540 prisoners, but even this was nowhere near the 6,000 figure demanded by Palestinians.
Palestinians complained that in the latest list 31 men were due to complete their sentences at the end of August in any event.
Although Israel reiterated its pledge that no prisoner would be released with “blood on their hands,” 183 people on the list were convicted of attacks on Israeli – ranging from throwing stones at soldiers to dealing with explosives.
A large section of the list’s members are those prisoners being held without charge.
Some Palestinians fear Israel’s apparent half measure would complicate the effective roll out of the “road map” for peace in the Middle East and frustrate some sections of its community, possibly leading to violence.
A statement from Hamas, the militant group that demands the immediate liberation of all of its prisoners, read:
“We appeal to all the national and Islamic forces to prepare themselves for a confrontation of the arrogance of that criminal enemy (Israel) that denied the right of freedom for our hero prisoners.”
According to Israel radio, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was pencilled in to meet his Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday, but an official close to Mr Abbas said the meeting would not go ahead as Mr Abbas was irritated by Israel’s equivocal commitment to peace.
