The Israeli cabinet voted 14-9 to approve Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's proposal to release 100 Hamas and Islamic Jihad prisoners.
Sharon met with his Likud party ministers prior to the cabinet meeting to try to convince them to back the proposal, Haaretz reported.
The Israeli government decision was taken shortly before Sharon's departure Sunday for Washington, to enable him to present the move as a confidence-building measure aimed at strengthening Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas.
On their parts, Hamas and Islamic Jihad movements have downplayed the Israeli approval. They described the Israeli decision as “ineffective” and reiterated the need to release all the prisoners.
Hamas leader Abdel Aziz al Rantisi views the decision as ineffective. He told Al Bawaba via telephone “the condition set by Hamas for the truce was for the release of all the Palestinian prisoners. The Israeli decision is just an attempt to elude us and work around our condition.”
On June 29 of this year, Hamas and Islamic Jihad announced a three-month truce with Israel on condition that Israel release all Palestinian prisoners – which Hamas and the Islamic Jihad estimate to be around 8000, while Israeli and PA estimates are closer to 6000.
“We did not talk about the release of dozens or even hundreds of prisoners that are being detained by the enemy, and considered [by Israel] as hostages to be released on such occasions,” said Rantisi.
Rantisi believes that Sharon, through his actions of today, is trying to send a message (of cooperation) to the American president George Bush whom he will be meeting next Tuesday. He also doubted that Washington would recognize such a gesture saying “even Washington won’t accept such a message because everybody knows that the prisoners have been kept by Israel as hostages to be released on occasions such as this (Sharon’s visit to Washington).”
The Islamic Jihad viewed the Israeli decision as “insufficient” and has come as an attempt by Israel to “elude the world’s public opinion”.
“There is no doubt that we will be happy to see the release of any prisoner - whether he is from Islamic Jihad, Hamas or the Popular Front - but the release of a limited number of prisoners is not acceptable,” said Islamic Jihad leader Nafeth Azzam in a phone call to Al Bawaba.
Azzam reiterated that the Israeli decision is not enough at all claiming that there are 8000 prisoners currently held by Israel. “We should not rejoice for the possible release of 200, 300 or even 1000 prisoners - our stance is for the release of all prisoners,” he added.
Azzam went on to say that Israel is trying to “elude the world and depict itself as a government which responds to the international efforts made to put an end to the Palestinian Israeli conflict. With today’s decision, Israel wants to preempt any demands by the Americans or otherwise for the release of more prisoners, or anything else for that matter, in return for the truce with the Palestinians,” he concluded.
Also on Sunday, Israel allowed a major roadblock in the West Bank to be lifted, army radio said. One Israeli and two Palestinian bulldozers removed the concrete blocks which had prevented vehicles from moving between the West Bank city of Ramallah and some 40 towns and villages to the north, inluding Bir Zeit University.
The Israeli Army radio added that three roadblocks would be lifted Sunday. The Ramallah governorate said the Ein Arik roadblock west of Ramallah would also be dismantled and there were media reports the Huwara checkpoint guarding access to the northern city of Nablus could also be removed. (Albawaba.com)
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
