JERUSALEM, 2 June 2005 — Israel will free 400 Palestinian prisoners today in what Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has called an attempt to boost moderate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas ahead of a Gaza withdrawal. Palestinian Authority officials dismissed the long-delayed release as a public relations stunt, complaining that Israel refused to give them a say in who would be freed, and prisoners they most wanted released would stay in jail.
The Israeli Army said yesterday the mass release stemmed from approval granted earlier this week by the cabinet and reflected “ongoing cooperation with the Palestinian Authority”. Israel freed 500 prisoners in February after Abbas and Sharon announced a ceasefire, but Sharon later suspended the promised release of 400 more, saying Palestinians had not done enough to disarm militants.
None of the prisoners slated for release had been convicted of attacks that killed or injured Israelis, officials said. Many were in jail for belonging to militant groups, possessing weapons or plotting attacks. The prisoners will be sent home to the West Bank and Gaza Strip through Israeli Army checkpoints.
Meanwhile, the Israeli municipality of Jerusalem is preparing to bulldoze an entire Palestinian neighborhood in the city’s annexed Arab sector, igniting fury from local residents and the Palestinian prime minister.
Jerusalem’s municipal architect, Uri Shetrit, said the council was readying to destroy 88 homes, but the date had yet to be decided. House destruction orders hang over 1,000 Palestinians living in Silwan, just outside the walls of the Old City.
Outgoing Israel Defense Force (IDF) Chief of Staff Moshe Ya’alon said yesterday that Israel’s upcoming pullout from the Gaza Strip needs to be followed by more withdrawals or else there will be another outbreak of Israeli-Palestinian violence.
