BY JOSHUA BRILLIANT, United Press International, 04.12.06

TEL AVIV, Israel, Dec. 4 (UPI) -- Israeli officials provide different figures when asked how many Palestinian security prisoners are in their jails. The Prison's Service says "about 10,000," while a well-placed government official says "more than 12,000."
They include people involved in some of the most horrendous terror attacks in Israel and would-be suicide bombers; but also others who played minor roles in the Palestinian struggle against Israel. Among them are the Legislative Council's speaker, and ministers and legislators whom Israel arrested after Hamas and other militants kidnapped Cpl. Gilad Shalit this past summer.
Last week Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert offered to free many prisoners. "When Gilad Shalit is released and returned to his
family, safe and sound, the government of Israel will be willing to release numerous Palestinian prisoners -- including ones who were sentenced to lengthy prison terms," he declared.
It is not clear how many prisoners Olmert has in mind, nor is the criteria for deciding who goes home and who stays behind the steel bars and clanking metal doors. Nor is it clear whether it will include Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti, who is serving five life sentences but could be an asset to President Mahmoud Abbas, and whether it will include Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine Secretary-General Ahmad Sa'adat.
These are some of the issues to be resolved in negotiations with the Hamas-led government. The Egyptian Minister of Intelligence, Gen. Omar Suleiman, has been acting as mediator.
Until the issues are resolved, there will be no progress towards Israeli-Palestinian peace. Even a meeting between Abbas and Olmert is unlikely.
The Israelis have always been extremely secretive during negotiations over prisoner swaps. They fear publicity might hinder an agreement, and this time delay Shalit's repatriation. A senior defense official told United Press International the negotiations are so secret that even some generals have been left in the dark.
However, Palestinian Minister for Prisoners' Affairs, Wasfi Qabha, gave an inkling of what Hamas expects.
Qabha met prisoners' families in Bethlehem and, according to the Maan news agency, said 400 prisoners would be released when Shalit is freed. Subsequently, 400 more will be let out and then, in a third stage, many prisoners who have been serving long jail sentences will be released.
Old men, women, children, sick prisoners, Barghouti and Sa'adat will be freed, Qabha said, while jailed ministers and legislators are not part of the deal. They should be released immediately.
His account sounds premature. An unnamed Egyptian source told the al-Hayyat newspaper that the differences are, "Still wide and there is a deep gap between the Hamas movement and the Israelis in this regard."
"The names and the issue of timing is still under discussion ... we have not reached the stage of names yet," he added. The source blamed both sides for "making difficult terms and conditions."
The Egyptian account corroborates what UPI heard in Israel, that there were no "dramatic results" following Suleiman's latest visit and the negotiations are "hard."
For both sides the prisoner issue is highly charged and emotional.
The Palestinians consider the prisoners as freedom fighters, prisoners of war, regardless of the party to which they belong.
"They are supported in every house, every Palestinian neighborhood, be it in Gaza, the West Bank, Jerusalem or refugee camps abroad. It is wall-to-wall support," noted former minister for prisoner affairs, Hisham Abed al-Razek.
The Israelis consider them terrorists. Half to three-quarters "have blood on their hands," since they were involved in attacks that killed or wounded people, he said.
Some Israelis maintain an early discharge would reduce deterrence. Militants would feel they can perpetrate a terror attack, kill people, become heroes, and be released within a few years. If Israel yields, the logic is that it would encourage more blackmail and kidnappings.
Moreover, some prisoners released in previous deals are known to have resumed attacks.
It is not clear how many Palestinians have been through Israeli jails and how many resumed fighting after their release. Abed al-Razek said half a million people have been incarcerated since 1967. However, people arrested three times, were counted three times. No one counted by name, he said. Israeli defense officials who might know the exact figure did not return calls.
At a recent debate organized by the Geneva Initiative, retired generals advocated a prisoner release.
Retired Lt. Gen. Orit Adato, who commanded the Prisons' Service during much of the intifada, noted some of the prisoners are youngsters who fulfilled minor roles, such as paid messengers who delivered documents. Because of the attack that ensued they, too, were considered "having blood on their hands."
If they are held with the ideologues and the "heavy cases," they will be murderers when they are freed, Adato warned.
Retired Brig. Gen. Ilan Paz, who headed the Civil Administration in the West Bank, noted that some Palestinians who served 10 to 30 year sentences, are now "leading the pragmatic line (and) want a dialogue with Israel."
In May security prisoners representing various parties signed a document calling for Palestinian unity. They maintained Palestinians had a right to resist the Israeli occupation in "various means and focusing the resistance in the occupied territories of 1967." In other words, not in Israel proper.
Some of the current security prisoners will join the Palestinian leadership in five to 20 years, Paz predicted, adding that Israel should start a dialogue with them now.