Israel agreed to release 170 Palestinian prisoners yesterday as a gesture of goodwill to Egypt and the new Palestinian leadership. The announcement came as the Labour and Likud parties concluded negotiations on a unity government. Ariel Sharon, the Israeli prime minister, is expected to present the new government on Thursday. Labour will received eight ministerial positions and its leader, Shimon Peres, will become deputy prime minister with responsibility for the evacuation of settlements in Gaza and the northern West Bank.
Labour's entry into the government will give Mr Sharon more power to carry out his disengagement plan. His coalition was split by opposition to the plan from two rightwing parties. He will also be able to ignore Likud rebels who oppose evacuating settlements. The prisoner release, which comes ahead of Palestinian presidential elections next month, was part of a prisoner swap with Egypt this month that brought home an Israeli jailed by Egypt on espionage charges. Mr Sharon called the decision "a gesture of goodwill, friendship and appreciation to the Egyptian president, Hosni Mubarak, on his decision to free Azzam Azzam," the accused spy sent home this month after eight years in prison.
But a senior Israeli official acknowledged the release was also aimed at the interim Palestinian leader, Mahmoud Abbas, who is seeking election in the January 9 presidential vote. "It gives them an indication that we want to have an atmosphere of reconciliation," he said. He added that Israel would consider further releases if the Palestinians acted against militants. The Palestinians said the release was limited. Israel holds more than 7,000 Palestinians in its prisons. "We consider this step a cosmetic one," said Radi Jaraie, the deputy Palestinian minister of prisoner affairs. |