Security: Shin Bet chief Yoram Cohen says prisoner release may cause problems, but in the short term, talks may quiet problems on the ground. Image by Haaretz

The renewal of peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians may help improve the security situation in the West Bank, said Shin Bet security service chief Yoram Cohen on Sunday.

According to two ministers present at the government meeting Sunday where the cabinet discussed the possibility of releasing 104 Palestinian prisoners ahead of negotiations, Cohen said, “Entering negotiations with the Palestinians has a certain calming effect on the ground in Judea and Samaria, especially among operatives associated with the Palestinian Authority like the Fatah’s Tanzim members.”

On the other hand, Cohen warned, releasing prisoners could diminish Israel’s state security, as those who are released might return to violence, and the country’s deterrence may be impaired.

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

The Shin Bet chief was not asked by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or any one of the ministers to express his views for or against the cabinet’s decision to release security prisoners who had murdered Israelis.

Cohen told ministers that Netanyahu had notified him last week of his decision to release 104 prisoners who were incarcerated before the Oslo Accords, as part of an understanding with the United States ahead of renewed talks with the Palestinians. He added that Netanyahu had asked the Shin Bet to rank the prisoners and to recommend to government who should be released in each of the four phases (which had been decided on in advance).

Read more at Haaretz.com.

The Forward is free to read, but it isn’t free to produce

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward.

Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.

At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse.

Readers like you make it all possible. We’ve started our Passover Fundraising Drive, and we need 1,800 readers like you to step up to support the Forward by April 21. Members of the Forward board are even matching the first 1,000 gifts, up to $70,000.

This is a great time to support independent Jewish journalism, because every dollar goes twice as far.

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

2X match on all Passover gifts!

$90 → $180 $180 → $360

$360 → $720

Other amount