Abbas: Israel must release prisoners

RAMALLAH, West Bank, Dec. 20 (UPI) -- Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said Thursday no final peace deal will be struck with Israel until all Palestinian prisoners are released.

Abbas said in a message lauding the prisoners for making sacrifices toward the goal of an independent Palestinian state that no final peace deals will be struck until they are all released from Israeli jails, the Palestinian WAFA news agency reported Thursday.

The president said he will continue to use all available resources to secure the release of the prisoners.