On Monday, 9th July, Israeli newspaper Haaretz published on its Hebrew website that the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, agreed on Abbas’ request to release 123 Palestinian prisoners who were detained before Oslo’s Convention.

According to the newspaper’s report, the consent came during negotiations between Palestinian and Israeli political parties saying that Netanyahu agreed to release the old prisoners after he meets the Palestinian president Abbas.

Netanyahu expressed his willingness to release 25 prisoners from the prisoners that Israel calls “those with blood-stained hands,” after the meeting with Abbas, while the rest of the prisoners will be released at the end of the year.

Haaretz said that this agreement came about after secret meetings held between Netanyahu’s special envoy Yitzhak Molcho and the Palestinian Chief negotiator Saeb Erekat.

(english.pnn.ps / 09.07.2012)