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Israel to free more than 150 Palestinian prisoners as gesture to Abbas
By Barak Ravid and Avi Issacharoff, Haaretz Correspondents, and News Agencies
Tags: palestinians, Olmert, Abbas 

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert pledged Wednesday to free more than 150 Palestinian prisoners by the end of August as a goodwill gesture to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Olmert spokesman Mark Regev announced the pledge after a meeting between the two leaders.

"The Israeli side will be releasing Palestinian prisoners towards the end of August ... as a gesture of goodwill," said Regev. The spokesman did not say if jailed Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti would be among the freed prisoners.
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Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat, who took part in the meeting at Olmert's official residence, said Abbas specifically requested the release of Marwan Barghouti, jailed for life by Israel for involvement in deadly attacks on Israelis. He said Abbas also asked for the release of Ahmed Saadat, leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, who is in an Israeli prison after his group claimed responsibility for assassinating an Israeli Cabinet minister.

According to Erekat, these names were on a list the Palestinian Authority has submitted to Israel of prisoners whom it wishes freed, including some who have already been jailed for many years and others who suffer from serious health problems.

An Israeli official said Olmert refused to commit to those names.

Erekat also said it was agreed that over 150 prisoners would be freed, on Aug. 25.

Israel has repeatedly refused to release Barghouti, seen by many as a natural successor to Abbas, citing its long-held principle of not freeing prisoners with blood on their hands, those directly involved in fatal attacks.

Israel freed 429 Palestinians in December as a gesture to Abbas following the resumption of peace negotiations the previous month. The release was intended to strengthen Abbas against his Islamist rivals in Hamas who control the Gaza Strip.

Olmert and Abbas met to discuss how to broker a peace deal but since the prime minister said last week he was quitting over a corruption scandal few see much chance of an agreement taking place.

Olmert and Abbas were also to discuss how the Israeli leadership changes will affect peace talks.

The meeting between two leaders is the first since Olmert announced he would step down after his party selects a new leader in September.

The meeting was planned during the Paris conference which took place a few weeks ago. However, ever since Olmert announced he would step down in September, the goals of the meeting changed to establishing and coordinating expectations for negotiations between the two sides.

The Palestinian Authority is interested in continuing peace talks despite the transition period, especially if there is a possibility that Olmert will remain prime minister even after the September 17th primaries and maybe even until general elections take place in early 2009. .

Officials: Abbas to ask PM about his working relations with Livni

Palestinian officials said Wednesday that Abbas would ask Olmert how he plans to proceed with talks. They said they are also concerned about Olmert's working relations with Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, who heads Israel's negotiating team but is also vying to replace the premier.

They spoke on condition of anonymity due to concerns about being seen as meddling in Israel's internal politics.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is due to arrive in Israel on August 20 as part of her near-last ditch effort to exert her influence on the negotiations before the United Nations convenes its annual General Assembly session next month.

A senior diplomatic source noted Wednesday that the negotiating teams will continue to meet, though "we have come to terms with the fact that there won't be a breakthrough and that the main thing we want is to see how we pass along the diplomatic process forward to the next administration in the U.S. and to the next government that will be established in Israel."

Olmert's announcement that he would resign following the primaries in Kadima was broadcast a few minutes after the three-way meeting between Rice, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, and Palestinian negotiator Ahmed Qureia began. "Rice wanted to press forward with diplomatic progress but Olmert's resignation which was broadcast live was for her a shot of reality in terms of the limits to diplomatic progress," said an Israeli diplomatic source who was briefed on the details of the meeting.

Olmert has stated his desire to move forward with the peace process, but Livni, who is running for the chairmanship of Kadima, has been more vocal in expressing her reservations. During her meeting with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in New York last week, she even hinted that Olmert has no mandate to make diplomatic concessions given his shaky political standing. "The Israeli public can continue to support the process as long as it gives expression to the interests of the state of Israel," she said.

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      1.   All he ever does is demand, never offers anything in return 14:52  |  McQueen 06/08/08
      2.   NO to Abbas` Crap 14:56  |  Brod 06/08/08
      3.   Doesn`t this show us who he really is??? 14:57  |  DR 06/08/08
      4.   Terrorists should be treated as war criminals. 15:17  |  Jean Van Daem 06/08/08
      5.   Palestinians: Demands, demands, demands... 15:46  |  Mike 06/08/08
      6.   to1 PA never jailed an israeli 15:56  |  Tamir Palestine 06/08/08
      7.   I support #2...Terrorists, Arabs and Jewish, should 16:00  |  Human 06/08/08
      8.   An advice for Abbas and the Pals........ 16:20  |  maurice 06/08/08
      9.   Abbas better get it while the getting is good 16:20  |  * BEN JABO 06/08/08
      10.   Between Abbas and Hamas.......... 16:21  |  maurice 06/08/08
      11.   Abbas meets Olmert. - Yawn. Abbas demands - chuckle! 16:44  |  redmike 06/08/08
      12.   Mike and McQueen 16:44  |  Dave Duncan 06/08/08
      13.   Omert should demand PA reform its schools, 16:56  |  Steve 06/08/08
      14.   Let Barghouti go...! 16:59  |  Esther 06/08/08
      15.   No to Bargouti, no to Saadat. 02:39  |  Nora 06/08/08
      16.   NO to Leftist move 17:25  |  Brod 06/08/08
      17.   WHERE IS ISRAEL`S DEMAND FOR SHALIT. NO PRSONERS 17:42  |  DR 06/08/08
      18.   WHERE IS ISRAEL`S DEMAND FOR SHALIT. NO PRSONERS 17:42  |  DR 06/08/08
      19.   News blackout? 17:51  |  Victor 06/08/08
      20.   The Israel-Firsters are so ignorant. 17:56  |  Ibrahim 06/08/08
      21.   Tamir--correct! Never jailed but... 18:08  |  Miransky 06/08/08
      22.   Ibrahim 18:22  |  * BEN JABO 06/08/08
      23.   Bagrouhti is a monster, period. 18:47  |  Ilan 06/08/08
      24.   the only gesture that Israel should extended is the finger 18:29  |  Shuki 06/08/08
      25.   150 is far too few. 18:59  |  Ibrahim 06/08/08
      26.   israel seems determined to release the worst guys 19:21  |  paulo2005 06/08/08
      27.   Something had to be done after the underwear debacle 19:21  |  Aphemia 06/08/08
      28.   Let Olmert free 150 from jail, then take their place 19:23  |  IW 06/08/08
      29.   PA doesn`t jail Israelis, they just kill them 19:25  |  Gilbert 06/08/08
      30.   Tamir ( no such country called Palestine ) 19:42  |  pamela 06/08/08
      31.   Ibraham 19:55  |  pamela 06/08/08
      32.   When will the Israeli government learn.... 19:59  |  Steve 06/08/08
      33.   150 prisoners 20:01  |  donald barnes 06/08/08
      34.   Peace process will take another 120 years - that is what it takes 20:02  |  Ani Tsocheket 06/08/08
      35.   Pamela`s rantings... 20:04  |  Ibrahim 06/08/08
      36.   More concessions. In return for WHAT? 20:31  |  Mike 06/08/08
      37.   GOOD GESTURE?????? 20:35  |  ANI 06/08/08
      38.   i have another gesture for abbas and olmert 21:06  |  vik 06/08/08
      39.   shalit 21:08  |  outspoken 06/08/08
      40.   free over 150 Palestinian prisoners 21:15  |  Ralph 06/08/08
      41.   HAMAS & HEZBOLLAH WILL GET THE CREDIT, NOT ABBAS 21:17  |  Arik Silverman 06/08/08
      42.   IL frees a Hamasnik, in return, Hamas fires a Kassam 21:23  |  Mark Anthony 06/08/08
      43.   #17 pamela 21:25  |  Boycott 06/08/08
      44.   what has Abbas done for Israel lately? 21:34  |  Gregor 06/08/08
      45.   the Best way is to make thing very clear with PA 21:34  |  Simon Mohammed 06/08/08
      46.   # 18 Pamela 21:43  |  Jim 06/08/08
      47.   Baghrouti convicted of 5 consecutive life sentences 21:46  |  Ilan 06/08/08
      48.   #21 Pamela 21:49  |  James 06/08/08
      49.   olmert and abbas seeking same goal 21:58  |  Arie 06/08/08
      50.   Boycott: no outsider came to Palestine in 2000 years? 22:05  |  Arthur 06/08/08
      51.   #2. Jean.V.Damm. read about Francais Libre, Fln,.. 22:51  |  Jean Pierre Gallet 06/08/08
      52.   When is someone going to give us a goodwill gesture!! 22:57  |  To hell with Abbas 06/08/08
      53.   #42 Gregor 22:58  |  Jim 06/08/08
      54.   .# 3Mike.yes Palm open for what is theirs not 4 GRABBING 23:04  |  Al Rashid. 06/08/08
      55.   First Gaza and now 150 more? But where is Shalit? 23:05  |  bat yam 06/08/08
      56.   How about setting a better gesture and trading himself 4 Schalit 23:13  |  Large to killers 06/08/08
      57.   Where did he learn to bargain, in an incubator? 23:17  |  Walmert 06/08/08
      58.   Olmert- Friend of Abbas- Friend of Kuntar 23:21  |  Henry Gerson 06/08/08
      59.   150 out of 11,000+... Well, it`s a beginning.... 23:50  |  Esther 06/08/08
      60.   VERY NICE! AND WHAT WILL ISRAEL GET IN RETURN? BULLETS? BOMBS? 00:00  |  jewish doctor 07/08/08
      61.   HEY ABASS, HOW ABOUT RECOGNITION AS A GESTURE?????? 00:03  |  dav zee 07/08/08
      62.   BIG HUG for FAVORITE Abbas Financier of Munich Massacre of Jews 00:13  |  Linda Rivera 07/08/08
      63.   To # 12 00:19  |  Mike 07/08/08
      64.   Olmert LOVES to give Gestures-NO Shalit but Frees Hundreds 00:21  |  Linda Rivera 07/08/08
      65.   ONLY IN ISRAEL DO ARAB TERRORISTS GET A FREE GET OUT OF JAIL CARD 00:47  |  PalestniansAreA Myth 07/08/08
      66.   Free Shalit 01:47  |  Great White North 07/08/08
      67.   Jordan is Muslim Palestinian homeland 01:48  |  Great White North 07/08/08