Israel To Release 200 Palestinian Prisoners

Jerusalem — Israel's Cabinet has approved the release 200 Palestinian Arab prisoners in a gesture of support for the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, as the country's lame-duck prime minister, Ehud Olmert, enters what is likely to be his last month in office.

The move received an overwhelming majority vote in a regular Cabinet meeting yesterday, despite protests from victims' rights groups. At least two prisoners with what Israel calls "blood on their hands," who have served more than 30 years for their role in terrorist attacks in the 1970s, are expected to be included in the deal.

Though those two have not been identified, Palestinian Arabs had requested the release of Ahmed Saadat, the leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, and Said Atabeh, a senior member of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine jailed in 1977, who is the longest-serving Palestinian prisoner.

The prisoners' release is expected on August 25, just before the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and the day that Secretary of State Rice is expected to return to the region to try to move peace talks forward.