Isreal to free many inmates
JERUSALEM – Israel on Sunday approved the release of 170 Palestinian prisoners in a goodwill gesture to Egypt and encouragement to interim Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas in hopes for future negotiations.
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon also neared agreement Sunday with the moderate Labor Party to expand his coalition government and ensure approval of next year’s pullout from Gaza.
The developments added impetus toward ending four years of bloody Israeli-Palestinian violence and moving back to the negotiating table in the post-Yasser Arafat era.
The Palestinian prisoner decision followed Egypt’s Dec. 5 release of Azzam Azzam, an Israeli Arab who served eight years in prison on an espionage charge, in exchange for six Egyptians suspected of planning attacks on Israeli soldiers.
Sharon called the decision a “goodwill gesture” and spoke of “deep friendship” for Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
A senior Israeli official said the move was also aimed at interim Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, who is the leading candidate in a Jan. 9 election to replace Arafat.
The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Israel would consider further releases if the Palestinians take action against militants.
Israel tacitly supports Abbas in the election, viewing him as a moderate pragmatist. Abbas has made releasing prisoners a priority, and Israel’s move could boost his standing.
Israel holds an estimated 7,000 Palestinian prisoners, many accused of security-related crimes. Officials said the prisoners to be freed next week were not actively involved in attacks on Israelis. The Israeli daily Haaretz said 120 of the prisoners are members of Abbas’ Fatah Party. The others were jailed on minor offenses.
Palestinians, who have long demanded the release of all prisoners, gave Sunday’s announcement a cool reception.
Sharon was maneuvering Sunday to avoid calling an Israeli election, nearing an agreement with his rivals.
Sharon lost his majority because of internal opposition to the pullout plan. Without Labor, his minority government is vulnerable to being toppled in parliamentary no-confidence votes, forcing an election.