By Xinhua
Ramallah : A senior Palestinian official said on Monday that Israeli intention to free some 450 prisoners from Israeli jails has been made unilaterally without coordination with the Palestinian side.
Ashraf al-Ajrami, Minister of Prisoners’ Affairs in the caretaker government based in the West Bank, told reporters that the Israeli plan to free Palestinian prisoners was not “coordinated or consulted with the Palestinian side on the criteria and the lists of the prisoners.”
“It’s a unilateral Israeli step made for public relations before going to the peace summit (which) will be held in Annapolisat the end of November,” said al-Ajrami, adding that more than 10,000 prisoners are currently imprisoned in Israeli jails. Israeli cabinet will debate a recommendation of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to free 450 prisoners ahead of the Annapolis summit at its weekly meeting on Monday morning.
Israeli radio, Voice of Israel in Arabic, said that the prisoners to be freed would include those who have served most of their sentences in Israeli jails, adding “the decision is part of the Israeli goodwill gesture” toward the Palestinian National Authority.
Palestinian sources had earlier revealed that President Mahmoud Abbas asked Olmert and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to free 2,000 prisoners from Israeli jails when the Annapolis conference is held.
Abbas and Olmert will meet in Jerusalem later on Monday for the last round of talks before heading to Annapolis next week.