BICOM

Israel’s lead negotiator Tzipi Livni yesterday announced that a scheduled Palestinian prisoner release would not take place at this juncture in the wake of the Palestinian Authority’s (PA) application to join international bodies and a reportedly tense meeting with her Palestinian counterpart.

Referring to the PA application for membership of international organisations on Wednesday, Livni said that, “under these conditions Israel cannot release the fourth batch of prisoners” as originally scheduled. One of the underlying bases for the US sponsored negotiations was a quid pro quo commitment by Israel to release 104 prisoners, who had been jailed before the Oslo Peace Process, in four separate phases. The Palestinians were to refrain from seeking membership in any international organisations.

Livni, known for her personal commitment to reaching an agreement with the Palestinians, was said to be particularly aggrieved by the Palestinian action as it took place just before the Israeli cabinet was due to meet to discuss the Palestinian prisoner release. The Palestinian Maan news agency reported that during an eight-hour meeting with lead Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat, Livni warned the PA about a series of punitive measures which Israel could take. These include downgrading bilateral talks, freezing advances in cellular communications networks, halting zoning plans for Palestinian towns in areas under full Israeli jurisdiction, and freezing the allocation of agricultural lands to Palestinians in the Jordan Valley.

Erekat meanwhile, threatened Israel with legal action at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in order to try Israeli leaders as “war criminals”. In addition, Palestinian and Israeli media outlets quoted PA President Mahmoud Abbas as saying that he “would rather become a martyr” than rescind the applications signed on Tuesday to join 15 international treaties and conventions.

US Secretary of State John Kerry spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and PA President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday evening.  Kerry stressed that both sides must show political leadership and be prepared to make “fundamental decisions and compromises”.