Families: Peace deal must include veteran prisoners

Palestinian prisoners from inside Israel must be included in any political agreement, their families said Wednesday. At a meeting of the Arab Association for Prisoners, families of prisoners from inside Israel said a peace deal must include the unconditional release of their relatives, particularly those who have spent several decades in Israeli jails. Some 103 Palestinians are considered veteran prisoners, including 14 from inside Israel. Israel will release 80 Palestinians detained before the 1993 Oslo Accords as part of an agreement to renew peace negotiations, an Israeli official said Monday. The association said it was not confident about Israeli intentions to release prisoners, despite verbal assurances from President Mahmoud Abbas. "In the last two decades of negotiations, we have heard news and confirmation about releasing veteran prisoners," the association said in a statement. "We call on the Palestinian leadership to give us a clear and honest information about this matter."