JERUSALEM, 29 May 2005 — The Israeli Cabinet is set to decide today on the release of another 400 Palestinian prisoners, public radio reported, as Palestinians staged demonstrations in Hebron to call for their release. “The prisoners are our honor,” “Free the prisoners,” and “400 freed prisoners is not enough” read banners carried by dozens of mostly female demonstrators who gathered in the centre of the flashpoint West Bank city.
On a trip to the United States, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon pledged Tuesday to release the prisoners to “help” Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who held talks this week with US President George W. Bush. Five hundred prisoners were released soon after a February peace summit between Abbas and Sharon in the Egyptian resort of Sharm El-Sheikh but the promised second batch of 400 releases has yet to materialize.
Israeli radio reported yesterday that none of the prisoners likely to be freed was a killer, and that most had already served two-thirds of their sentences. Gen. Amos Gilad, adviser to Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz, vowed that those accused of orchestrating the 2001 assassination of Israeli Tourism Minister Rehavam Zeevi will not be released.
“Clearly, all Palestinian demands in this regard cannot be considered. They (who orchestrated the assassination) must remain in prison,” Gilad said.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian Authority has begun to recruit 5,000 extra policemen in the Gaza Strip to ensure that Israel’s planned withdrawal later this year goes smoothly, a Palestinian official said yesterday.
Israel has urged the Palestinian Authority to ensure there are no attacks by militants on Israeli troops and settlers during the pullout, due to start in mid-August, and said that cooperation then would bode well for future ties.
“We have opened the door to enlist 5,000 policemen and members of national security forces,” Interior Ministry spokesman Tawfiq Abu Khousa told Reuters.
