A list of Arab terrorists to be released this Friday has been published, but the Almagor Terror Victims Association says it needs more time to study the names and crimes, and asks that the release be put off.

The release of 256 Arab terrorists imprisoned in Israel is scheduled for this Friday, as part of a series of goodwill gestures by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert towards PA leader Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen).

The list of terrorists to be freed has been published, in Hebrew, on the Israel Prison Service website, so that concerned citizens can look up the terrorists’ names and sentences, and register complaints if they wish. The Almagor group, however, maintains that the list is incomplete, in that in some cases, it does not list the specific crimes for which each terrorist was incarcerated. Furthermore, Almagor says it needs more than two days to thoroughly research the names.

For this reason, Almagor has called upon Attorney General Menachem Mazuz to postpone the planned release.

Senior PFLP Terrorist on the List

A prominent name on the list of terrorists to be freed is that of Abdel Rahim Mallouh, who was Deputy Secretary General of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). Though, officially, only terrorists without “blood on their hands” are to be freed, Mallouh’s PFLP terrorists were behind the assassination of Tourism Minister Rehavam Ze’evi. He was also responsible for the suicide bombing of a pizzeria in Karnei Shomron, murdering two teenagers, as well as other attacks.

Over 200 terrorists on the list were convicted of attempted murder, shooting, or planting a bomb or incendiary material.

Transportation Minister Sha’ul Mofaz continues to be outspokenly against the release of the terrorists. “The list includes many prisoners who cost the security services much hard work to catch,” Mofaz said. “I don’t know why they are being released with such ease.” He added that the release will definitely lead to a higher price for the release of captive soldier Gilad Shalit.

PA Rejects, But Will Accept

The PA has announced that it rejects the list, because it was compiled unilaterally by Israel. An official in the PA Prisoners Affairs Ministry said the list includes only prisoners who have been in jail for between one and eight years, whereas the PA demands freedom for those who have been imprisoned the longest – usually murderers.

Israel plans to release the prisoners with or without PA consent.

Families of Jews imprisoned for security related crimes continue to demand that if Arab terrorists are released, their loved ones should be as well.

IsraelNationalRadio’s Walter Bingham reports that Emi Palmor, the Director of Pardons at the Ministry of Justice, revealed to journalists that one of the Palestinian Authority prisoners on the list has asked not to be freed. The terrorist said he wants to remain in prison until his November release date, so that he can continue to receive medication for the alleviation of pain caused by arthritis. The medication, which costs 4,000 shekels ($935) each week, would not be provided to him outside of prison. His request has been granted.