Palestinians cancel summit with Israel to protest limited release of prisoners
The Palestinians reacted with scorn over Israel's announcement that it would release 440 Palestinian prisoners yesterday. The Palestinians want more freed and say the list contains few long-serving detainees.
In protest, they called off a summit set for Wednesday between premier Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, Palestinian sources said. Israeli sources, also speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the talks were cancelled. They denied Israeli media reports that the Israeli side pulled out of the meeting because of the shooting attack, which wounded four Israelis.
Mr Sharon and Mr Abbas last met on July 20, before having separate talks with US President George W Bush in Washington aimed at pushing forward the road map peace plan, which has stalled over the prisoner issue and demands for a Palestinian crackdown on militants.
Palestinian legislator Saeb Erekat called for US intervention to avert "a major crisis" in the peace process.
Sunday night's ambush of an Israeli car near Bethlehem was the latest violence to mar a ceasefire by Palestinian militants declared on June 29. It also was the first attack in the Bethlehem area since Israel handed the town over to Palestinian security a month ago under the peace plan.
A mother and her nine-year-old daughter were badly wounded, and two other children slightly injured. In response, Israel said it would not transfer more areas to Palestinian control until the gunmen were apprehended.
Militants from the Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades claimed responsibility. The group, affiliated with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement, is composed of loosely-linked bands of militants throughout the West Bank.
Under the road map, which aims to end violence and establish a Palestinian state by 2005, Israel is to withdraw gradually from Palestinian areas it occupied in the last three years of fighting. The Palestinians are to disarm militant groups something Abbas is reluctant to do for fear of sparking a civil war.
He prefers to negotiate an end to
violence, and the ceasefire by the three main Palestinian militant groups was the result of such talks. Abbas is meeting leaders of Hamas and Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip to discuss the ceasefire and the prisoner issue.
Palestinian Foreign Minister Nabil Sha'ath condemned the shooting, but added his government's forces were too weak to be immediately effective in the West Bank, where the Israeli military has a large degree of control.
On Monday, Israel published a list of 342 Palestinian security prisoners and 97 criminal inmates it plans to free, including some members of Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
The army said most of the prisoners would be released on Wednesday and be dropped off at four checkpoints in the West Bank and one in Gaza.
Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat scoffed at the announcement, pointing out that new arrests of Palestinians continue. Yesterday, Israeli soldiers
detained 47 Palestinians and foreign activists who were protesting the construction of an Israeli security fence near the West Bank town of Qalqilya, the pro-Palestinian International Solidarity Movement said.
Israeli military sources said the protesters were arrested after refusing to leave a closed military zone. Palestinians strongly oppose the planned 380 mile-barrier, which Israel says is needed to keep out suicide bombers.
Security officials said that Israel was considering moving the fence because of US pressure and Palestinian complaints, leaving most Jewish settlements on the Palestinian side. Washington has expressed concerns the barrier would be perceived as a political border, pre-empting negotiations.
Also yesterday, a Palestinian boy died after an explosive device went off in his hands.
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