Israel won't free prisoners ahead of Muslim holiday

Israel will not free Palestinian prisoners ahead of a major Muslim holiday, as it traditionally does, demanding that Palestinian militants first agree to release a captured Israel soldier.

“Right now, it’s not on the agenda,” spokeswoman Miri Eisin said.

The decision was at odds with recent overtures by prime minister Ehud Olmert intended to bolster the moderate Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, who is embroiled in a power struggle with the militantly anti-Israel Hamas group that controls the Palestinian legislature and Cabinet.

Israel makes it a practice before the Muslim Eid al-Adha holiday, which begins tomorrow, to free prisoners in a goodwill gesture toward the Palestinians.

However, Olmert apparently was unwilling to risk the wrath of Israeli public opinion by releasing Palestinian prisoners without assuring Hamas-linked militants would free Cpl. Gilad Shalit, who was captured in a June 25 cross-border raid, said Saeb Erekat, a top Abbas aide.

“It’s unfortunate,” Erekat said of the decision, adding that it would hurt Abbas’ standing.

Israel holds at least 8,000 Palestinians in its jails. The prisoners have an iconic status in Palestinian society.

“I think that a gesture that in normal times is accepted at holiday time must not happen today because it would be misinterpreted,” Israeli Cabinet minister Zeev Boim told Israel Radio.