Israel to free prisoners in bid to boost ailing peace process

ISRAEL yesterday published a list of 342 Palestinian prisoners it plans to release tomorrow in a bid to bolster a US-backed peace plan and reformist Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas.

Palestinians cried foul, noting 31 of the men were to have completed their sentences this month and that Israeli officials had said 540 prisoners would be freed. Palestinians want a general release of all 6,000 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

"This is a complete deception, a trick," said Palestinian Security Affairs Minister Mohammed Dahlan. "What the Israelis are doing will complicate the peace process and frustrate the peace supporters among the Palestinians."