Ministers OK release of 200 Palestinians

JERUSALEM  - An Israeli ministerial commission on Monday approved the release next week of 200 Palestinian prisoners, including at least two implicated in deadly attacks in Israel three decades ago.

“A ministerial commission which met on Monday approved the list of 200 Palestinian prisoners who are to be released as a goodwill gesture toward (Palestinian) president Mahmud Abbas,” Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s spokesman Mark Regev told AFP.

The full Israeli cabinet had voted on Sunday to free the prisoners in a move aimed at bolstering the slow-moving US-backed peace negotiations with the Palestinians.

A senior official said the list includes at least two veteran prisoners implicated in deadly attacks on Israelis in the 1970s, a rare exception to Israel’s general policy of not freeing those with “blood on their hands.”

Israelis can appeal against the freeing of individual prisoners before the actual release takes place on August 25 and at least two members of the powerful security cabinet voiced their concern over some on the list.