Posted on 07/06/2003 9:17:26 AM PDT by stevejackson
The Israeli Government has voted to release a new batch of Palestinian prisoners - a goodwill gesture that it is hoped will push forward the US-backed peace plan, known as the roadmap.
A ministerial committee will decide who will be released from a list of 200-400 candidates drawn up by Israel's Shin Bet security services - although militants and those involved in violence against Israelis will not be eligible.
Securing the freedom of prisoners is a top priority for the Palestinian Prime Minister, Mahmud Abbas, also known as Abu Mazen.
The BBC's correspondent in Jerusalem, Michael Voss, says a large-scale prisoner release will ease the pressure on Mr Abbas as he tries to persuade militant groups to support the ceasefire with Israel.
A breakaway Palestinian organisation, the Popular Resistance Committee, has become the latest militant group to declare its support for the ceasefire, provided Israel frees prisoners and lifts its siege of Palestinian cities.
The Palestinian security minister, Mohammed Dahlan, and the Israeli defence minister, Shaul Mofaz, are expected to meet within hours to discuss further Israeli pull-backs in the West Bank.
Fragile peace
Last month all the main groups who agreed to a temporary ceasefire did so on the condition that prisoners be released.
But if members of Hamas or Islamic Jihad are not included among those freed, this could jeopardise the truce and threaten the entire peace process, our correspondent says.
Our correspondent says this is a significant victory for Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, there was widespread opposition within the cabinet to the whole concept of prisoner releases and it took two votes before the cabinet agreed 13-8 to proceed.
Israel's Tourism Minister Benny Elon said the cabinet's approval was conditional on the establishment of a committee to monitor how the Palestinians are complying with the roadmap.
In June Israel released about 100 Palestinian prisoners, ahead of a three-way summit in Jordan between Mr Sharon, Abu Mazen, and US President George W Bush.
On Thursday the Israelis freed the head of the Gaza Strip security services, Suleiman Abu Mutlak, who had been held since May.
Palestinian officials declined to comment on the decision, saying they would like to see the release list first.
The Palestinians have demanded that all 6,000 to 8,000 Palestinians held by Israel are released.
"It is impossible to end the conflict even if one prisoner remains behind bars," Palestinian Minister of Prisoner Affairs Hisham Abdel-Raziq told Reuters.
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