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Mid-East leaders gather at summit Israel to release Fatah prisoners
(about 22 hours later)
Arab and Israeli leaders are gathering for a summit in Egypt, seen as a show of support for embattled Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert says he plans to release 250 jailed members of the Fatah movement led by Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas.
The talks in Sharm el-Sheikh involve Mr Abbas, Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak, Jordan's King Abdullah and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. He announced the "goodwill gesture" at a summit in Egypt, attended by Mr Abbas and the leaders of Egypt and Jordan.
It comes days after Mr Abbas' Hamas rivals took control of the Gaza Strip. The meeting was aimed at boosting Mr Abbas and isolating his rivals, Hamas, after their takeover of Gaza.
On the eve of the summit, Israel agreed to release frozen tax funds to the new Palestinian government excluding Hamas. Earlier, the Hamas captors of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit broadcast what they say is his first audio message.
Hamas leader Ismail Haniya, who was dismissed as prime minister by Mr Abbas, described Israel's move as "blackmail". The voice on the tape says his health is worsening and he needs medical help.
Israel, meanwhile, sought to downplay expectations of the summit, rejecting Arab calls to enter into negotiations on a final peace deal with the Palestinians. The meeting in Sharm el-Sheikh brought together Mr Olmert, Mr Abbas, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and King Abdullah of Jordan.
Funds boost I've been in prison one year. My situation is deteriorating Cpl Gilad Shalit class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/6237458.stm">Hamas airs 'Shalit message' class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/6238858.stm">Q&A: Captured soldier
The summit is aimed at bolstering the position of Mr Abbas, the BBC's Heba Saleh at the Red Sea resort says. Mr Olmert told the gathering: "As a gesture of goodwill towards the Palestinians, I will bring before the Israeli cabinet a proposal to free 250 Fatah prisoners who do not have blood on their hands."
On Sunday, Mr Abbas received a timely boost after the Israeli cabinet decided to release the frozen tax funds to the Palestinian emergency government. He added that those freed would have to sign a commitment not to return to violence.
About 10,000 Palestinian prisoners are being held in Israeli jails, some without charge.
Mr Olmert also said he would make all efforts to secure the release of Cpl Shalit.
Peace talks
The sacked Prime Minister, Ismail Haniya of Hamas, said he was ready to engage in talks with Fatah.
A spokesman for Mr Haniya in Gaza said Hamas was "disposed to immediately take up this dialogue" urged by Mr Mubarak.
Hamas leaders have criticised the Egypt talksThe Egyptian leader had earlier called for a "resumption of dialogue between all the children of Palestine, and the achievement of a common position that speaks for its people and its cause".
For his part, Mr Abbas urged Israel to "start serious political negotiations, according to an agreed timeframe, with the aim of setting up an independent Palestinian state.
"My hand is stretched to the Israeli people," he said.
The Israeli leader only said that his ambition was to arrive at such talks.
He said an opportunity had been created to move forward with the peace process.
"I don't plan to let this opportunity slip away," he said.
On Sunday the Israeli cabinet decided to release the frozen tax funds to the Palestinian emergency government based in the West Bank.
The money - some hundreds of millions of dollars - was originally withheld by Israel after Hamas came to power in the January 2006 election.The money - some hundreds of millions of dollars - was originally withheld by Israel after Hamas came to power in the January 2006 election.
Mr Olmert said the funds would "gradually help the new Palestinian government, one that is not a Hamas government". Hamas - which was not invited to the summit - has strongly criticised the meeting.
The Israeli foreign ministry said the money would be passed to Mr Abbas, whose Fatah movement controls the West Bank. Although Mr Abbas may have received much of the support he was seeking, it may not make any difference on the ground says the BBC's Heba Saleh at the summit.
An Israeli official said the money would be released once a mechanism was established to ensure that it does not reach Hamas. Hamas is still in control of Gaza and that undermines any serious prospect of peace talks, says our correspondent.
The move was attacked by Mr Haniya, who said the money belonged to all Palestinians.
Hamas is regarded as a terrorist group by Israel, the EU and the US.
The embargo had a devastating impact on the Palestinian economy and meant that many of the Palestinian Authority's (PA) 160,000 employees have not received their full pay in more than a year.
Last week, the US and the EU announced the lifting of a financial and diplomatic embargo on the PA imposed 18 months ago.
'No breakthrough'
Mr Haniya rejected the Sharm el-Sheikh summit, saying only resistance would achieve a Palestinian state.
Ahead of the summit, Israel cautioned not to expect any breakthrough on the issue of a final Israeli-Palestinian peace deal.
"These talks do not include final status issues, but rather, how the prime minister and the president of the Palestinian Authority would envision a future Palestinian state," Israeli government official David Baker said.
Earlier, King Abdullah told Mr Abbas that the summit would be an opportunity to formulate a clear timeline for the resumption of the peace talks.
Israel is also expected to raise at the summit the issue of security arrangements on Gaza borders.