ISRAEL

Straitstimes: Militants demand release of 6,000 in Israeli prisons
JERUSALEM - A Palestinian spokesman has rejected as 'insufficient' Israel's decision on Sunday to consider the release of some 350 Palestinian prisoners, warning instead of a resumption of violence unless all 6,000 prisoners held in Israeli jails were freed.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon rejected the demand. 'There is no way that prisoners with blood on their hands will be released,' he said.

Officials of the militant Hamas and Islamic Jihad said that if Israel does not release all of its prisoners, they would consider ending the ceasefire they agreed to last week.