Jerusalem (JTA) — Israel began
implementing its latest accord
with the Palestinians last week,
freeing close to 900 Palestinian
prisoners and transferring four
civil administration offices in the
West Bank to the Palestinian Au-
thority.
But the first steps toward ex-
panding Palestinian autonomy
in the West Bank were not with-
out disputes.
The Interim Agreement, which
calls for the phased release of
most Palestinians in Israeli jails
and for the immediate release of
all female prisoners, ran into a
snag this week when President
Ezer Weizman said he would
refuse to shorten the sentences
of two of the 27 female prisoners
scheduled for release.
Mr. Weizman, who has been
pondering the release issue for at
least two weeks, said that he
would adhere to an earlier pledge
not to let any prisoner with Is-
raeli blood on his or her hands go to stay in jail until the four who
free. Two other female prisoners were denied their freedom were
were refused release by Maj. Gen. also released.
Ilan Biran, the commander in
Of the 900 Palestinian prison-
charge of an area that includes ers released, some 500 had been
the West Bank.
convicted of committing security
Israel's refusal to release the offenses against Israel.
four women prompted Ahmed
The security prisoners were set
Tibi, an adviser to Palestine Lib- free after signing pledges that
eration Organization leader Yas- they would refrain from future
sir Arafat, to petition Israel's terrorist activities.
High Court of Justice.
Those prisoners who had been
Mr. Tibi argued that since the jailed for criminal offenses were
release of all female prisoners freed after they signed pledges
was part of the Interim Agree- that they would not take part
ment, Mr. Weizman had acted in any further criminal activ-
beyond his authority in refusing ities.
to pardon two of the female in-
The releases were delayed by
mates.
several hours, after Palestinians
As a result of the dispute, only officials demanded that the for-
one of the 27 female prisoners mer criminals be handed over di-
was released. She had been sen- rectly to the Palestinian
tenced to seven years in jail for Authority.
attempting to stab an Israeli sol-
Hisham Abdel Razek, a Pales-
dier.
tinian negotiator on the prisoner
The remaining 22 female pris- issue, said Palestinian officials
oners eligible for release vowed had wanted to review their files
Rabbi Efry Spectre
AP/NABIL JU DAH
Prisoners Released As Transfer Begins
A Palestinian woman greets a prisoner on his release
from an Israeli jail.
to decide whether they should be
set free or be put in PLO-run jails.
Though they were free to go,
some 84 former criminals re-
mained in jail after no Pales-
tinian Authority official came to
pick them up, Army Radio
reported.
Rabbi Daniel Nevins
Senior Rabbi
Adat Shalom Synagogue
Rabbi
Adat Shalom Synagogue
Robert Aronson
Dr. Zvi Gitelman
Executive Vice President
Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit
Professor of Political Science
University of Michigan
Harlene Appelman
Sylvia Hacker, Ph.D.
Director of Community
Outreach and Involvement
Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit
Sex Educator
Arthur Feldman
Owner, Arthur Feldman Gallery
Eric Fingerhut
Former Congressman
Sherry Margolis
News Anchor, WJBK-TV2
Sue Marx
Academy Award-Winning Filmmaker
Jeffrey Zasiow
Florine Mark-Ross
Syndicated Advice Columnist
Chicago Sun Times
President of Weight Watchers
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Cr)
rn
Rabbi Reuven Hammer
Klezmer Tzvai:
Joe Greenbaum & Larry Bassin
Rabbinic Scholar and Leader of
Masorti Judaism in Israel
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LIJ
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Doron Levin
Business and Financial Columnist
The Detroit Free Press
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