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| Israel cabinet mulls 450 releases | Israel cabinet mulls 450 releases |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Israel's prime minister is seeking cabinet approval for the release of up to 450 Palestinian detainees. | Israel's prime minister is seeking cabinet approval for the release of up to 450 Palestinian detainees. |
| Ehud Olmert made the request before meeting Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who is asking for at least 2,000 people to be freed. | Ehud Olmert made the request before meeting Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who is asking for at least 2,000 people to be freed. |
| The talks are the latest in a series leading up to the US-sponsored Middle East peace conference which is expected to take place next week. | The talks are the latest in a series leading up to the US-sponsored Middle East peace conference which is expected to take place next week. |
| Officials said they would work on a joint declaration for the conference. | Officials said they would work on a joint declaration for the conference. |
| In comments quoted by AFP, senior Palestinian official Saeb Erekat said they would "review the work done by negotiating teams and try to bridge the gaps as differences on the concepts continue to divide the two parties". | In comments quoted by AFP, senior Palestinian official Saeb Erekat said they would "review the work done by negotiating teams and try to bridge the gaps as differences on the concepts continue to divide the two parties". |
| On Tuesday, Mr Olmert will travel to Egypt for talks with President Hosni Mubarak in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, the prime minister's office said. | On Tuesday, Mr Olmert will travel to Egypt for talks with President Hosni Mubarak in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, the prime minister's office said. |
| New settlement | |
| Israeli jails hold about 11,000 Palestinians from the occupied territories, for a variety of security reasons, including many without being tried or charged. | Israeli jails hold about 11,000 Palestinians from the occupied territories, for a variety of security reasons, including many without being tried or charged. |
| Monday's cabinet meeting was also expected to discuss Israel's long-standing pledge not to build new settlements in the occupied West Bank. | |
| "Let's be honest. We committed ourselves... not to build new settlements. There will be no new settlements and no land confiscations," Mr Olmert was quoted by his spokeswoman as saying. | |
| Correspondents said the statement stopped short of US and Palestinian demands to freeze construction in existing settlements. | |
| Settlements in the land occupied by Israel in the 1967 war are deemed illegal under international law, although Israel disputes this. | |
| Low expectations | |
| The Bush administration called the Annapolis meeting hoping to kick-start Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations after a seven years without substantive talks. | The Bush administration called the Annapolis meeting hoping to kick-start Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations after a seven years without substantive talks. |
| However, correspondents say expectations of the conference have sunk amid continuing disputes over the joint document addressing the negotiating terms on the major issues. | However, correspondents say expectations of the conference have sunk amid continuing disputes over the joint document addressing the negotiating terms on the major issues. |
| These are the future of Jerusalem, the future borders of Israel and the Palestinian state and the fate of millions of Palestinian refugees from what is now Israel. | These are the future of Jerusalem, the future borders of Israel and the Palestinian state and the fate of millions of Palestinian refugees from what is now Israel. |
| Foreign ministers from the Arab League members, many of which have no diplomatic ties with Israel, will decide on Friday whether to attend the meeting due to take place in Annapolis, Maryland. | Foreign ministers from the Arab League members, many of which have no diplomatic ties with Israel, will decide on Friday whether to attend the meeting due to take place in Annapolis, Maryland. |
| The US has not yet announced the date of the conference or the list of participants, although it is expected to happen before the end of November. | The US has not yet announced the date of the conference or the list of participants, although it is expected to happen before the end of November. |