Israel has offered to release a new group of 400 Palestinian security prisoners -- in addition to the fourth and final group of longtime terrorism convicts who were set to go free this weekend -- if the Palestinian Authority (PA) agrees to extend peace talks for another six months, The Times of Israel website reports exclusively today (March 30, 2014). The United States -- anxious to arrange for the continuation of the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks -- supports the offer.
As of last night, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas was insisting that the fourth group of longtime prisoners first be released before he would consider extending the talks beyond their current April 29, 2014 deadline.
Israel has refused to free the final group of some 26 prisoners -- whom the PA insists must include several Israeli Arabs -- unless Abbas first agrees to extend the talks. Israel has also balked at releasing Israeli Arabs.
Under the new Israeli offer, Israel would determine which additional 400 security prisoners would go free, sources said. Israel is believed to be holding close to 5,000 Palestinian security prisoners.
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