Abbas to build homes for prisoners released for Schalit

Announcement made during meeting between PA president, released Palestinian prisoners; Palestinian Investment Fund will finance housing.

By KHALED ABU TOAMEH
Palestinian prisoners enter Gaza 311 (photo credit: REUTERS)
Palestinian prisoners enter Gaza 311
(photo credit: REUTERS)
PA President Mahmoud Abbas has decided to build houses for the Palestinian prisoners who were released in the Gilad Schalit exchange deal between Israel and Hamas.
The new housing project will be funded by the Palestinian Investment Fund, the Palestinian news agency Wafa reported.
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The fund was established in 2003 as an independent investment company with the aim of strengthening the Palestinian economy through key investments.
The announcement came during a meeting between Abbas and some of the released prisoners in his office in Ramallah on Saturday.
Earlier, Abbas decided to award the prisoners financial grants of several thousand dollars for each inmate.
The prisoners will receive up to $5,000 from the PA and $2,000 from the Hamas government in the Gaza Strip.
During the meeting with the prisoners, Abbas said that the issue of the prisoners was at the top of the PA’s list of priorities. He said that PA negotiators raise the issue in all meetings and forums.
Abbas hailed the prisoners’ “steadfastness in the face of Israeli arrogance.”
He also repeated his claim that former prime minister Ehud Olmert had promised to release Fatahaffiliated prisoners after the release of Schalit in order to strengthen the PA.