Olmert mulls freeing hundreds of Palestinian prisoners

0 Comments | AFP, November, 2007

JERUSALEM (AFP) — Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told a powerful parliamentary committee on Monday that he is considering releasing several hundred Palestinian prisoners ahead of peace talks.

"The prime minister told the foreign affairs committee that he was considering releasing a large number of prisoners as a goodwill gesture to the Palestinians," an advisor to Olmert told AFP on condition of anonymity.

The advisor added that Olmert had spoken of releasing "hundreds of prisoners without blood on their hands" -- referring to prisoners who have not been implicated in deadly attacks on Israelis.

Ran Cohen, an MP from the centre-left Meretz party who attended the meeting, said "Olmert did not mention any figures but he spoke about a very large number of...