Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Monday that the release of captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, held since June in Gaza Strip, would lead to the release of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. "With Gilad Shalit's release and his return safe and sound to his family, the Israeli government will be willing to release many Palestinian prisoners, even those who have been sentenced to lengthy terms," Olmert said.
Olmert also offered wide-ranging concessions if the Palestinians turn away from violence, saying that they would be able to achieve an independent state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip through real peace talks with Israel.
"I hold out my hand in peace to our Palestinian neighbors in the hope that it won't be returned empty," Olmert said.
"We, the state of Israel, will agree to the evacuation of many territories and the settlements that we built there. This is extremely difficult for us, like the splitting of the Red Sea. We will do it for real peace," he said.
He said that if the Palestinians form a new government committed to carrying out the U.S.-backed "road map" peace plan and securing the release of Shalit, then he would call for an immediate meeting with President Abbas "to have a real, open, honest, serious dialogue between us."
Israel would also ease the checkpoints across the West Bank, improve border terminals in Gaza Strip, release the frozen money to the Palestinians and help develop a plan to rehabilitate their crippled economy, the Israeli leader said.
In exchange, Olmert said Palestinians would have to renounce violence, recognize Israel's right to live in peace and security and give up their demands to allow refugees from the 1948 War to return to their homes.
