[Dr. Aaron Lerner - IMRA: PLO chief negotiator Saeb Erekat told Ma'an the
release of prisoners detained before 1993 was part of the 1999 Sharm
el-Sheikh memorandum and that Israel was obliged to abide by it.
Erakat knows that this is not true.
Just as the Arabs ignore the significance of the missing "the" in UNSC 242
(the absence of the "the" makes 242 call for withdrawal but without
requiring full withdrawal) , they ignore the significance of the missing
"the" in The Sharm el-Sheikh Memorandum in the section dealing with the
release of prisoners.
Here is the relevant excerpt:
=======
The Sharm el-Sheikh Memorandum on Implementation Timeline of Outstanding
Commitments of Agreements Signed and the Resumption of Permanent Status
Negotiations
(September 4, 1999)
...
3. Release of Prisoners
a. The two Sides shall establish a joint committee that shall follow-up on
matters related to release of Palestinian prisoners.
b. The Government of Israel shall release Palestinian and other prisoners
who committed their offences prior to September 13, 1993, and were arrested
prior to May 4, 1994. The Joint Committee shall agree on the names of those
who will be released in the first two stages. Those lists shall be
recommended to the relevant Authorities through the Monitoring and Steering
Committee;
c. The first stage of release of prisoners shall be carried out on September
5, 1999 and shall consist of 200 prisoners. The second stage of release of
prisoners shall be carried out on October 8, 1999 and shall consist of 150
prisoners;
d. The joint committee shall recommend further lists of names to be released
to the relevant Authorities through the Monitoring and Steering Committee;
e. The Israeli side will aim to release Palestinian prisoners before next
Ramadan.
=======
Again:
The phrase "The Government of Israel shall release Palestinian and other
prisoners..."
Means that some would be released - not ALL.
And it is obvious.
After all, consider the wording of 3d: "The joint committee shall recommend
further lists of names to be released to the relevant Authorities through
the Monitoring and Steering Committee;"
There is an ongoing release of SOME terrorists - not all of them.]
Secret talks held over release of pre-Oslo prisoners
Published today (updated) 28/06/2013 13:57
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=609190
BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- Israeli and Palestinian officials have held secret
talks to discuss the release of prisoners detained before the 1993 Oslo
Accords, an official said Friday.
President Mahmoud Abbas has insisted that 107 Palestinians detained before
the Oslo agreement must be released before the PLO will return to
negotiations with Israel.
Amin Shuman, director of the High Coordination Committee for Prisoners'
Release, told Ma'an that the closed-door talks related to this condition,
adding that the ongoing detention of the long-term prisoners violated all
international laws and conventions.
Political analyst Hani al-Masri said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu was expected to release the prisoners in three stages during
negotiations, to ensure the PLO remains in peace talks.
PLO chief negotiator Saeb Erekat told Ma'an the release of prisoners
detained before 1993 was part of the 1999 Sharm el-Sheikh memorandum and
that Israel was obliged to abide by it.
US Secretary of State John Kerry is in the region for his fifth visit to try
and revive peace negotiations.
He met for nearly four hours into Friday morning with Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu and is due to have lunch with President Mahmoud Abbas in
Amman on Friday.
Kerry is seeking to break a three-year stalemate and restart direct
negotiations that would ultimately lead to an independent Palestinian state.
During a visit in April, Abbas told Kerry that releasing prisoners was a
"top priority" for resuming talks with Israel.
"President Abbas made a passionate argument to me about the prisoners and I
think the government of Israel has a full understanding of the potency of
that issue," Kerry said at the time.
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