by Benson Agoha
Israel's reported offer to free 400 more prisoners to the Palestinian Authority if Mammud Abbas extends deadline for peace talks, was rejected by Lawmakers on Sunday.
The offer to 400 prisoners, said to be back by the US, which was disclosed by Palestinian sources, was to try to break peace talks impasse. and extend it's deadline beyond April.
It comes as initial expectations heightened over the weekend that the release of 104 palestinian prisoners was imminent, although Israeli PM was initially sceptical about the move, which he feared may destabilise his government.
According to the Times of Israel, Palestinian Authority’s minister of prisoner affairs said on Saturday that efforts to secure release of 104 inmates may be resolved within 24 hours, as initial expectations of their release on Saturday was dashed.
ToI quoting a senior Palestinian official, said a release by Israel of Arab prisoners would not go ahead on Saturday as envisaged, although he hoped the delay would be brief.
"The US-approved offer would see Jerusalem release an additional 400 prisoners, to be chosen by Israel, if Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas agrees to continue the talks past the current April 29 deadline, according to Palestinian sources familiar with the negotiations," ToI reported.
But the reported offer was rejected on sunday by Lawmakers with Israeli Economy Minister, Naftali Bennett, Head of the Nationalist Jewish Home Party making it clear he "would not allow the release of 400 prisoners to go forward," saying on facebook “Let me be clear: This will not happen”.
Palestinian hopes may be stretched further as PM Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly said on sunday there will be no new prisoner release without something of value in exchange, adding that any further deal would need government approval but the issue of prisoner release may likely to be resolved in days.
* Follow me on Twitter(follow): @bensonagoha and @woolwichonline.
Israel's reported offer to free 400 more prisoners to the Palestinian Authority if Mammud Abbas extends deadline for peace talks, was rejected by Lawmakers on Sunday.
The offer to 400 prisoners, said to be back by the US, which was disclosed by Palestinian sources, was to try to break peace talks impasse. and extend it's deadline beyond April.
It comes as initial expectations heightened over the weekend that the release of 104 palestinian prisoners was imminent, although Israeli PM was initially sceptical about the move, which he feared may destabilise his government.
According to the Times of Israel, Palestinian Authority’s minister of prisoner affairs said on Saturday that efforts to secure release of 104 inmates may be resolved within 24 hours, as initial expectations of their release on Saturday was dashed.
ToI quoting a senior Palestinian official, said a release by Israel of Arab prisoners would not go ahead on Saturday as envisaged, although he hoped the delay would be brief.
"The US-approved offer would see Jerusalem release an additional 400 prisoners, to be chosen by Israel, if Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas agrees to continue the talks past the current April 29 deadline, according to Palestinian sources familiar with the negotiations," ToI reported.
But the reported offer was rejected on sunday by Lawmakers with Israeli Economy Minister, Naftali Bennett, Head of the Nationalist Jewish Home Party making it clear he "would not allow the release of 400 prisoners to go forward," saying on facebook “Let me be clear: This will not happen”.
Palestinian hopes may be stretched further as PM Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly said on sunday there will be no new prisoner release without something of value in exchange, adding that any further deal would need government approval but the issue of prisoner release may likely to be resolved in days.
* Follow me on Twitter(follow): @bensonagoha and @woolwichonline.
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