Israel set to release Palestinian prisoners

Occupied Jerusalem: Israel said on Sunday it will soon release 227 Palestinian prisoners as a goodwill gesture to the government of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

The prisoners were to have been let out last week but Israel said that Palestinian officials asked for their release to be postponed until Abbas returned from a pilgrimage to Makkah.

A senior Abbas aide denied the president made such a request.

Israel's prison service said on Sunday that the prisoners would be set free on Monday. All of them belong to Abbas' Fatah movement.