Peace initiative doubts as Abbas ready to free killer

ISRAEL put in question peacemaking moves yesterday after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said he would free a militant jailed over the killing of an Israeli minister.

Mr Abbas said Ahmed Saadat, accused by Israel of ordering the assassination in 2001, would be freed after the long-delayed Israeli pullback of troops from Jericho due to happen yesterday.

"We will weigh carefully if there is any way of continuing the process when the message from Abu Mazen's (Mr Abbas) side is becoming so contrary to the new spirit," Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom told Israel Radio.