Release of 200 Palestinians Seen as "Israeli" Weakness
Source: Al-Manar TV, 18-8-2008
An "Israeli" ministerial commission on Monday approved the release next week of 200 Palestinian detainees, including at least two implicated in deadly attacks in "Israel" three decades ago.
"A ministerial commission which met on Monday approved the list of 200 Palestinian prisoners who are to be released as a goodwill gesture toward (Palestinian) president Mahmud Abbas," "Israeli" Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's spokesman Mark Regev said.
The "Israeli" cabinet had voted on Sunday to release the detainees in a move aimed at bolstering the slow-moving US-backed peace negotiations with the Palestinians.
"Israelis" can appeal against the freeing of individual detainees before the actual release takes place on August 25. Interior Security Minister Avi Dichter told public radio the criteria for establishing the list was "the same as in previous years except for two or three exceptional cases."
A senior government official said the list includes at least two veteran detainees implicated in deadly attacks on "Israeli"s in the 1970s. This is a rare exception to "Israel's" general policy of not freeing those with "blood on their hands." "Israeli" media said that among those to be released is Said al-Attaba, 56, who has been serving a life sentence since 1977 for the death of an "Israeli" woman in an attack.
Also on the list is Mohammed Ibrahim Abu Ali, known as "Abu Ali Yatta," who has been behind bars since 1979 for killing an "Israeli" student. While serving a life sentence, Abu ali Yatta, of Abbas's secular Fatah party, was elected to the Palestinian parliament in January 2006.
"Israel" first announced the decision to release the detainees on August 6 following a face-to-face meeting between Olmert and Abbas, the latest in a series of discussions since they relaunched peace talks at a US-hosted conference in November.
A spokesman for Abbas on Sunday called the planned prisoner release a "step in the right direction," but said the Palestinians had hoped to see more freed. There are currently more than 11,000 Palestinians behind bars in "Israel", including 11 seriously ill people, according to the Palestinian Authority.
A number of them have been held without charge or trial under what "Israel" calls "administrative detention." Defense for Children International said on Monday that 691 Palestinians are currently held in administrative detention, including 13 who are under 18 years of age. It said that at any given point during 2007, there were between 310 and 416 Palestinian minors held in "Israeli" prisons and detention centers.
News of the release was received negatively among Shin Bet handlers and agents, a source said. "You have to hear the responses inside the Shin Bet to the release. They work day and night to capture and neutralize terrorists, and all of it is gone in an instant," he said.
'PRISONER RELEASE INTERPRETED AS WEAKNESS'
"Israeli" Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz opposed the move as well, stating that "the release of prisoners is not interpreted as a gesture, but rather as weakness. The State of "Israel" released hundreds of prisoners in recent months, and the situation of Abu Mazen (Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas) has not changed. Gilad Shalit is still in his kidnappers' hands."
"When "Israel" frees prisoners to weak elements without demanding anything in return, they remain weak. This is a decision conveying weakness and an acceptance of the existing situation. Why are we helping Abu Mazen instead of taking care of Gilad Shalit's release first?" asked Mofaz. He added that "in order to achieve our goal, which is security; we must hold negotiations which include a return, negotiations with results, rather than diplomacy which yields nice photo opportunities. We hear about negotiations being held for more than a year, but what has changed? What results have we achieved? What progress have we made this year?"
An "Israeli" ministerial commission on Monday approved the release next week of 200 Palestinian detainees, including at least two implicated in deadly attacks in "Israel" three decades ago.
"A ministerial commission which met on Monday approved the list of 200 Palestinian prisoners who are to be released as a goodwill gesture toward (Palestinian) president Mahmud Abbas," "Israeli" Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's spokesman Mark Regev said.
The "Israeli" cabinet had voted on Sunday to release the detainees in a move aimed at bolstering the slow-moving US-backed peace negotiations with the Palestinians.
"Israelis" can appeal against the freeing of individual detainees before the actual release takes place on August 25. Interior Security Minister Avi Dichter told public radio the criteria for establishing the list was "the same as in previous years except for two or three exceptional cases."
A senior government official said the list includes at least two veteran detainees implicated in deadly attacks on "Israeli"s in the 1970s. This is a rare exception to "Israel's" general policy of not freeing those with "blood on their hands." "Israeli" media said that among those to be released is Said al-Attaba, 56, who has been serving a life sentence since 1977 for the death of an "Israeli" woman in an attack.
Also on the list is Mohammed Ibrahim Abu Ali, known as "Abu Ali Yatta," who has been behind bars since 1979 for killing an "Israeli" student. While serving a life sentence, Abu ali Yatta, of Abbas's secular Fatah party, was elected to the Palestinian parliament in January 2006.
"Israel" first announced the decision to release the detainees on August 6 following a face-to-face meeting between Olmert and Abbas, the latest in a series of discussions since they relaunched peace talks at a US-hosted conference in November.
A spokesman for Abbas on Sunday called the planned prisoner release a "step in the right direction," but said the Palestinians had hoped to see more freed. There are currently more than 11,000 Palestinians behind bars in "Israel", including 11 seriously ill people, according to the Palestinian Authority.
A number of them have been held without charge or trial under what "Israel" calls "administrative detention." Defense for Children International said on Monday that 691 Palestinians are currently held in administrative detention, including 13 who are under 18 years of age. It said that at any given point during 2007, there were between 310 and 416 Palestinian minors held in "Israeli" prisons and detention centers.
News of the release was received negatively among Shin Bet handlers and agents, a source said. "You have to hear the responses inside the Shin Bet to the release. They work day and night to capture and neutralize terrorists, and all of it is gone in an instant," he said.
'PRISONER RELEASE INTERPRETED AS WEAKNESS'
"Israeli" Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz opposed the move as well, stating that "the release of prisoners is not interpreted as a gesture, but rather as weakness. The State of "Israel" released hundreds of prisoners in recent months, and the situation of Abu Mazen (Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas) has not changed. Gilad Shalit is still in his kidnappers' hands."
"When "Israel" frees prisoners to weak elements without demanding anything in return, they remain weak. This is a decision conveying weakness and an acceptance of the existing situation. Why are we helping Abu Mazen instead of taking care of Gilad Shalit's release first?" asked Mofaz. He added that "in order to achieve our goal, which is security; we must hold negotiations which include a return, negotiations with results, rather than diplomacy which yields nice photo opportunities. We hear about negotiations being held for more than a year, but what has changed? What results have we achieved? What progress have we made this year?"
