Israeli, Palestinian PMs Meet on Prisoners Issue in Jerusalem

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, July 21, 2003

Israeli, Palestinian PMs Meet on Prisoners Issue in Jerusalem

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Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas were meeting Sunday afternoon at Sharon's office in Jerusalem for talks expected to focus on the release of more Palestinian prisoners.

Israel Radio on Sunday quoted Palestinian sources as saying thatAbbas will call for the release of some 450 prisoners held in Israel for over 20 years.

According to a report on Sunday's Jerusalem Post, Sharon is expected to tell Abbas at the meeting that Israel will release someIslamic Jihad and Hamas prisoners without "blood on their hands."

The report said Israel would release those Islamic Jihad and Hamas prisoners who were from the two radical organizations' "civicbranches" and "not involved in murdering people."

Sunday's meeting comes about 10 days after Abbas cancelled a meeting with Sharon. The meeting will also be the first of a seriesof diplomatic talks for the Palestinian prime minister, who will later visit Jordan and Egypt, and then meet with US President George Bush in Washington on Friday.

The Israeli cabinet met Sunday morning to discuss the expected prisoner release. Cabinet member Gideon Ezra, from Sharon's Likud party and a member of the ministerial committee which will oversee the prisoner release, also told local press after the meeting that Israel may release Hamas and Islamic Jihad prisoners without "bloodon their hands."

"I think it is possible to free people from Hamas and Islamic Jihad, with the obvious provision that they don't have blood on their hands," Ezra said.

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