RAMALLAH, May 25, 2017 (WAFA) - President Mahmoud Abbas said Thursday that the issue of prisoners is a difficult and sensitive one and that he had asked the Americans to intervene in order to safeguard the rights of the prisoners and achieve their humanitarian demands.

Abbas said at the start of a Fatah Central Committee meeting held at the presidential headquarters in Ramallah that the issue of the prisoners was discussed in depth with US envoy Jason Greenblatt “to see what the American side can do in this matter.”

He added: "We explained in detail to the American envoy the issue of the prisoners‘ strike, and we hope to be soon in contact with him in order to give us an answer from the Israeli side on the demands of our prisoners.”

“The entire world knows that the demands of the prisoners are humanitarian, and Israel has no reason to reject them, especially since these demands were present in the past. Israel is trying to punish our prisoners and punish us by rejecting these humanitarian demands. We are patient and steadfast until we find a solution that satisfies everyone,” he said.

President Abbas met earlier with Greenblatt at his headquarters where they discussed in depth the prisoners‘ strike.

M.K.