[Dr. Aaron Lerner - IMRA:
Question: Why aren't Israeli officials complaining about this ongoing gross
representation of Israel's obligations regarding the release of prisoners
(see below for latest)?
Let's walk through this:
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.
The wording: 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 meaning: some would be released - not ALL.
And it is obvious.
Since look at 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.
This is a plain and simple misrepresentation of the text by the
Palestinians.
And it sends a very troubling signal that they continue to do this.
And it sends a disturbing signal that none of the many third parties
involved sees fit to say anything.].
=================
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.
=======================================
Official says Abbas wants all Pre-Oslo Prisoners Released
http://english.wafa.ps/index.php?action=detail&id=20178
RAMALLAH, June 30, 2012 (WAFA - PLO news agency) – President Mahmoud Abbas
wants all 113 prisoners Israel has been holding since before the signing of
the Oslo accords in 1993 released before meeting Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu, Minister of Prisoners Issa Qaraqi said on Friday.
He said if the Israeli government does not release the prisoners, they will
start an open-ended hunger strike on September 13, the date the Oslo
agreement was signed.
“The Oslo agreement has put an end to conflict and war between the two sides
and set the ground for mutual recognition,” said Qaraqi. “Therefore keeping
them in prison is a violation of the spirit of this agreement.”
He said Abbas sees in the release of the prisoners a test of Netanyahu’s
intentions to resume negotiations.
Reports said Netanyahu has suggested release of 25 prisoners, which
Palestinian officials had quickly rejected.
Qaraqi said the prisoners may go to international courts to demand their
release as was called for in the Oslo agreement and the 1999 Sharm al-Sheikh
agreement, which called for the release of all prisoners held since before
the establishment of the Palestinian Authority on May 4, 1994.
M.S.
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