Israel delays detainee releases

Prisoners are an important and emotive issue for many Palestinians

Israel is to delay the scheduled release of 230 Palestinian prisoners for a week, with each side saying the other caused the hold-up.

Israel's cabinet agreed to the release on Sunday and it was due to take place on Tuesday as Muslims celebrated Eid.

A Palestinian official blamed legal difficulties on the Israeli side.

But Israeli officials said Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, who is away for the Haj pilgrimage, requested it so he could receive the detainees in person.

Israel holds about 11,000 Palestinians in custody. It released about 200 in August.

A top Abbas aid, Rafiq Husseini, said the Palestinian leader had not been in contact with Israeli officials about the delay and insisted their explanation was false.

"I can assure you [Mr Abbas] doesn't want to see these people imprisoned for one single day," he said.

Correspondents say the issue of Palestinian detainees in Israel is extremely sensitive for Palestinians in the occupied territories, virtually all of whom have relatives, friends or neighbours who have spent time behind bars.

Mr Abbas has demanded freedom for all the prisoners.

The office of Israeli PM Ehud Olmert said the releases would come from the ranks of Mr Abbas's Fatah faction and other non-Islamist groups, to coincide with the Muslim holiday of Eid, which follows the Haj pilgrimage in Mecca.