Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is hoping that Israel will honor a promise former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert made to him to release Fatah prisoners after any deal that resulted in freeing Gilad Shalit. In an interview with Time Magazine, Abbas said that Olmert told him that Israel would free as many Fatah prisoners as Hamas prisoners after Shalit was released from captivity. 477 Hamas-selected prisoners were released on Tuesday in exchange for Shalit with 550 unspecified prisoners to be released in …More

Palestinian Prime Minister Salem Fayyad told a nonprofit group that promotes Palestinian independence that now is not the right time for negotiations with Israel. "My own assessment is that conditions are not ripe, at this juncture, for a meaningful resumption of talks," Fayyad told the American Task Force on Palestine at a black-tie dinner. Fayyad said not much could be accomplished without the two sides first establishing “terms of reference” as a basis for negotiations. “All it is likely to …More