Hundreds of Palestinians to be released

ISRAEL’S cabinet yesterday voted to release several hundred Palestinian prisoners, a move that could help push forward a US-backed peace plan.

The release faced stiff resistance among cabinet ministers with many Israelis opposed to freeing Palestinians they believe were involved in violence or killings of Israelis.

The measure only passed after the cabinet agreed to establish a committee for monitoring Palestinian compliance with the road map peace plan aimed at halting violence, tourism minister Benny Elon said.