The Ministerial Committee on the Release of Palestinian Prisoners chaired by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, and with the participation of Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz, Public Security Minister Tzahi Hanegbi, Justice Minister Joseph Lapid, Welfare Minister Zevulon Orlev and Minister Gideon Ezra held its first meeting this morning (Wednesday), 23.7.2003.
ISA Director Avi Dichter and his aides presented recommendations regarding the release of Palestinian prisoners. Justice Ministry Director-General Aharon Abramovitz briefed the Committee on the work of the special committee that he chairs that is checking legal issues vis-?-vis those prisoners whose release has been recommended. At the beginning of the meeting, Prime Minister Sharon said that the release of Palestinian prisoners is an especially sensitive one for Israel and that he had made this clear to Palestinian Prime Minister Abu Mazen at their last meeting. The Prime Minister also noted that his Palestinian counterpart attributes great importance to the issue and that progress on the subject will strengthen his position in the eyes of the Palestinians. Prime Minister Sharon reminded members of the Committee that he had told the Cabinet on 6.7.2003 that, If terror continues and there is no genuine Palestinian effort to fight and eliminate it the releases will stop. The releases will be carried out in tightly supervised, small and measured doses in proportion to proven Palestinian actions in the security sphere. On this matter the Prime Minister added that recently there has been significant Palestinian activity in preventing terror and incitement, as well as a considerable reduction in the number of warnings of terror attacks. In addition, the Palestinians are working towards maintaining quiet and are taking against those who are trying to destroy it. The Prime Minister noted that while there has been a change of approach, no efforts have been made to dismantle the terrorist organizations or their infrastructure. Following deliberations, the Ministerial Committee decided to recommend that those Palestinians on the list presented before it today should be released. The Committee also decided that the cases of prisoners about whom doubts have arisen regarding their release would be reevaluated in the government. The Ministerial Committee asked Justice Ministry Director-General Abramovitz s committee to coordinate the necessary operations in order to release the prisoners. The Committee also agreed that the names of those who are to be released would be made public. The Ministerial Committee will convene again on Monday, 4.8.2003, to reevaluate the criteria according to which Palestinian prisoners are released.
