Jerusalem, July 26: Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is to ask his cabinet tomorrow to approve the release of 100 jailed members of Palestinian militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad, public radio said. Sharon hopes ministers will give their green light before he leaves for the United States tomorrow, so that he can convince Washington he is serious about building confidence in the fledgling peace process and bolstering the position of Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmud Abbas, the radio said.
The 100 Hamas and Islamic Jihad members slated for release have not been involved in attacks that claimed Israeli victims, the radio added.
The question of Palestinian prisoners has proved a major stumbling block in efforts to advance a US-backed roadmap for Middle East peace.
Hamas and Islamic Jihad called a three-month truce in anti-Israeli attacks at the end of June, conditional on the release of all 6,000 Palestinian prisoners.
But Israel has consistently ruled out the immediate release of anyone deemed to have Israeli "blood on their hands".
On Friday, media reports said Israeli security services had recommended that an additional 250 Palestinians be freed from Israeli jails, including members of Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
The names have been added to an initial list of some 350 prisoners and include "several dozen" Hamas and Islamic jihad members, the liberal daily Haaretz said. Bureau Report