Nablus mayor among six released by Israel

A Palestinian security official said the five prisoners had been released at a military checkpoint near the northern West Bank town of Tulkarem.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s spokesman Mark Regev said the release came in response to a request by Abbas.

“We hope this gesture will help the peace process,” he told reporters after the latest meeting between the two leaders, referring to US-backed talks formally relaunched at an international conference in November.

Senior Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat said the meeting was “successful” and that Israel had agreed to release more than 150 Palestinian prisoners.

“We agreed with the Israelis there will be a new batch of prisoners released on the 25th of August,” Erakat told reporters after the meeting.

Erakat declined to give names but said Abbas urged Israel to release several prominent and long-serving prisoners, including Marwan Barghuti, a popular leader in Abbas’ Fatah party seen as a leading contender to succeed the Palestinian president.