Bill to halt prisoner releases rejected

A relative hangs a banner depicting Palestinian prisoner Moses Qar’an outside his house in Ramallah Oct. 28. Israel was set to release 26 Palestinian prisoners earlier this week in the second stage of a deal brokered by the United States in July that brought about the resumption of peace talks. [Issam Rimawi/Flash90 photo]

JERUSALEM — An Israeli government committee approved the release of Palestinian prisoners hours after another committee rejected a bill that would have prevented such releases as part of peace negotiations.

The bill, which was proposed by the Jewish Home party, was dismissed Sunday by the Ministerial Committee for Legislation.


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Hours later, a ministerial panel led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved a list of Palestinian prisoners scheduled to be released this week as part of the current revived Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

Some 26 Palestinian prisoners were to be freed Tuesday in the second of four prisoner releases. In total, 104 Palestinians jailed for at least 20 years will be released; 26 prisoners were released in August.

All of the prisoners approved Sunday for release perpetrated offences before the Oslo accords of 1993, according to a statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office. 21 are from the West Bank and five are from Gaza.

“It should be emphasized that any prisoner who resumes hostile activity will be returned to serve the remainder of his sentence,” the statement said.

Announcements of new West Bank settlement housing construction reportedly were to coincide with the release in a bid to calm critics from the right.

Ministers of the Likud, Yesh Atid and Hatnuah parties voted against the bill, while ministers of Jewish Home and the Yisrael Beiteinu party, which is in partnership with Likud, voted for the bill.

The public had 48 hours to raise objections to the list of prisoners released and appeal to Israel’s Supreme Court.

The Palestinian Authority reportedly was planning a reception ceremony for Tuesday night at its Muquata headquarters in Ramallah to greet the freed prisoners.