Report: Palestinians Demand Prisoner Release to Continue Talks

Palestinian negotiators have demanded the release of senior terror leaders in Israeli prison in order to continue talks with Israel, the Gulf News reported Wednesday.

Israeli and Palestinian negotiators are currently meeting in Amman to agree on a formula for moving onto direct negotiations. The Quartet had imposed a deadline that is set to expire Thursday.

The report quoted a senior Fatah official as saying that "[a] Palestinian approval to direct negotiations, a two-month extension to the Quartet deadline and the continuation of the Amman exploratory meetings is possible only if Palestinian prisoners are released."

The Palestinians are reportedly seeking the deportation of Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti and Ahmed Sa'adat, secretary-general of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.