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Palestinians unimpressed by prisoner releases { August 6 2003 } Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)
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Palestinians unimpressed by prisoner releases
By Harvey Morris in Jerusalem and James Harding in Washington
Published: August 6 2003 5:00 | Last Updated: August 6 2003 12:14
Israel on Wednesday began releasing scores of Palestinian prisoners but the move was dismissed as a "deception" by Palestinian Authority officials, who said many more should be let out of prison.
Buses transported prisoners to staging areas, from which they were to be moved to
check points in the West Bank and Gaza Strip later in the day.
A high level meeting on advancing the US-backed "road map" for peace was abandoned on Tuesday as Palestinian anger mounted over the limits set by Israel on prisoner release.
Mahmoud Abbas, Palestinian Authority prime minister, cancelled talks with Ariel Sharon, his Israeli counterpart, after Israel said it would free only 443 of 6,500 Palestinian prisoners.
Israeli officials said 339 would be released on Wednesday afternoon. They did not say when the remainder would be freed. Officials had suggested up to 540 prisoners would be released.
Although prisoner releases are not part of the road map, Mr Abbas hoped for a gesture from Israel that would encourage militant groups to maintain their three-month ceasefire.
The prisoner release is not the only issue outside the parameters of the road map proving to be an obstacle to progress. Israeli construction of a security fence in the West Bank has angered Palestinians and prompted opposition from Washington.
From President George W. Bush down, US officials have told Mr Sharon that Washington does not consider the construction of the security barrier to be helpful to the peace process.
Following reports that the State Department had threatened to deduct from US loan guarantees to Israel the sum the country spends on building the security fence, US officials said Washington was keeping its financial assistance to Israel under review and was willing to adjust financial support in ways likely to advance the peace effort.
Mr Abbas was on Tuesday night due to meet Hamas and Islamic Jihad officials in Gaza to discuss the ceasefire and the prisoners issue.
"This is laughing in our face," said Hisham Abdel Razzek, Palestinian prisoners' affairs minister. "When I look at the list I see that 158 of them are administrative detainees, while Israel is holding 1,250 such detainees. There are 183 who were tried. Eighty per cent of them were to be released in three months."
Administrative detainees are held without trial. Others due to be freed today have been found guilty of belonging to terrorist organisations and offences such as stone-throwing.
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