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PFLP terrorist Ahmed Saadat
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| By Israel Insider staff and partners March 15, 2005 |
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Palestinian officials said Tuesday they have asked Israel to allow the release of two top terrorists held in a West Bank town about to be handed to Palestinian control, but that Israel has not agreed.
"The issue is under discussion. It's at the top of our agenda but has not been resolved yet with the Israeli side," said Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat, suggesting the Palestinians would not release the prisoners without Israel's consent.
Earlier Tuesday, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas was quoted as saying he intends to free the terrorists, Ahmed Saadat and Fuad Shobaki, once the town of Jericho is handed to Palestinian security control Wednesday.
Israel reacted with anger to the report, saying that freeing the two would be a gross violation of Israeli-Palestinan understandings and warned it would act swiftly if the two were released.
David Baker, an official in Sharon's office, said senior Palestinian officials assured Israel on Tuesday that Shobaki and Saadat would not be freed.
Saadat is the leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a radical PLO faction whose gunmen assassinated Cabinet Minister Rehavam Zeevi, 75, at a Jerusalem hotel on Oct. 17, 2001.
Saadat has been held in a Palestinian jail in Jericho, under American and British supervision, as part of a deal that helped end a 34-day Israeli siege of then-Palestinain leader Yasser Arafat's West Bank headquarters.
Shobaki is held in the same jail. Israel accused him of masterminding seaborne smuggling attempt after intercepting a ship, the Karine A, carrying 50 tons of banned weapons through the Red Sea, reportedly destined for the Palestinian Authority. Palestinian officials denied involvement in the incident.
On Monday, Israeli and Palestinian Cabinet ministers agreed, after a week of deadlocked talks, to hand Jericho over to Palestinians control on Wednesday and two more towns in the coming days.
The handover is one of several measures agreed by the two sides at a summit in Egypt last month where Sharon and Abbas declared an end to more than four years of bloodshed.
However the Palestinian position on the understandings seemed unclear.
Palestinian Security Chief Nasser Yousef, who negotiated the Jericho deal, said the Palestinians would still consider the release of Saadat and Shobaki.
"Saadat and Shobaki are on a wanted list we received from the Israeli side," Yousef said. "In case Israel withdraws, those fugitives, those wanted would not be wanted anymore."
Asked if he would release them, Yousef said "I assume so."
Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom said releasing the two was not part of the agreement and would jeopardize future talks. The release is "in total contradiction to all the understandings we have with the Palestinians. From our point of view it is unacceptable," Shalom said.
"It won't take place, and if it does, it will begin the process on the wrong foot," he said.
Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz promised swift action.
"If the Palestinians dare free them, Israel will lay its hands on them faster than they think possible," a statement from his office quoted him as saying.
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