Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, July 08, 2003
Israeli, Palestinian Officials Discuss Releasing of Prisoners
Palestinian and Israeli officials met Monday in Jerusalem to discuss the issue of releasing hundreds of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails, Palestinian and Israeli sources said.
Palestinian and Israeli officials met Monday in Jerusalem to discuss the issue of releasing hundreds of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails, Palestinian and Israeli sources said.
Hisham Abdel Razeq, the Palestinian minister for prisoners affairs, headed the Palestinian delegation, while Israeli Minister of Justice Tomi Lapid headed the Israeli delegation.
Abdel Razeq told reporters after the meeting that Israel practices discrimination among prisoners, especially against members of Hamas and Islamic Jihad and other Palestinian political and militant groups.
He said he was informed by the Israeli officials that Israel would release 300 Palestinian prisoners, but that "is not enough atall and must be followed by agreeing on releasing more prisoners."
"The decision to release a few number of prisoners and exclude members of Hamas and Islamic Jihad would have a negative effect on the peace process," Abdel Razeq warned.
"Such a decision might lead to undermine of the truce that had been reached between the Palestinian (National) Authority and the Palestinian militant and political groups," he added.