Israel To Release a Prisoner

Jerusalem — Prime Minister Olmert told President Abbas of the Palestinian Authority that he will free some Palestinian-Arab prisoners by the end of August, the Israeli leader's spokesman said.

"As a gesture of goodwill and in response to a request by the Palestinian president, Israel will release Palestinian prisoners towards the end of August," Mark Regev told reporters outside Mr. Olmert's home yesterday, where the prime minister met with Mr. Abbas, the Fatah movement leader who controls the West Bank.

A Palestinian Authority negotiator, Saeb Erekat, who attended the meeting, told reporters Mr. Olmert agreed to free 150 Palestinian-Arabs. He said it was "a good gesture."

Israel has more than 8,500 Palestinian-Arabs in its jails, according to statistics compiled by B'tselem, the Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied territories.