Palestinians urge Israel to free prisoners
( 2003-07-05 10:48) (Agencies)
Palestinian militants urged Israel on Friday to free all Palestinian prisoners or risk the collapse of a cease-fire that is vital to the success of a U.S.-backed "road map" to peace.
But the militants have signaled a possible flexibility. Islamic Jihad said after confidence-building talks with moderate Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas that it and other militant groups would "prioritize" prisoners they want released.
Israel has pulled back from parts of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank city of Bethlehem and freed some prisoners under the road map launched last month, and Palestinian police rounded up some militants suspected of violating the five-day-old truce.
Mohammed al-Hindi, an Islamic Jihad leader, said after talks with Abbas that a list would be compiled of prisoners whose release is considered a top priority, including those who have already served out long sentences, women, minors, the elderly and the infirm.
"Regarding the issue of prisoners it was agreed that there will be certain criteria agreed upon by all factions," Hindi told reporters in Gaza.
Israel is to consider releasing hundreds of prisoners on Sunday, political sources said. But with an estimated 5,900 to 8,000 Palestinians in Israeli custody, that would do little to mollify militants waging a 33-month-old uprising for statehood.
Islamic Jihad and kindred group Hamas dismissed the release of 53 prisoners on Thursday as cosmetic, demanding across-the-board amnesty.
Israeli officials have hinted at early release for long-term inmates and those accused of minor offences, but insist Palestinians "with blood on their hands" -- involved in lethal attacks on Israelis -- will stay locked up.
"In the framework of painful concessions to attain our goal, in this area (prisoners) we will undoubtedly have to take these steps and others," Israeli cabinet minister Gideon Ezra told Israel Radio.
MILITANTS COMPILING PRIORITY LIST OF PRISONERS
Abbas told Reuters in an interview this week he was seeking the release of thousands, a move which he sees as crucial for the success of the three-month cease-fire and the road map, which both sides have accepted.
Israel followed the truce with partial troop withdrawals from the northern Gaza Strip and from Bethlehem. But sporadic violence has continued and Israel briefly restored a roadblock on the main Gaza road on Thursday.
Israel fears that militants will use the truce to regroup, and demands a crackdown on them by the Palestinian Authority. Pending this, Israel says it will continue to pursue militants. The army said it arrested 12 Palestinian suspects in the West Bank on Friday.
"If these (Israeli policies) continue, it will certainly threaten the truce," Hindi said.
Palestinian security forces arrested 10 militants since Thursday on charges of firing mortar bombs against Jewish settlements, security officials and militants said.
The two sides' acceptance of the road map, drafted by the United States, European Union, United Nations and Russia, raised cautious optimism after violence raging since September 2000.
The road map aims to end the conflict and establish a Palestinian state alongside Israel by 2005.
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