Why is Israel suddenly refusing to keep its word and transfer Palestinian bodies?

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak has suspended talks over the transfer of the bodies of 84 Palestinian fighters from an Israeli gravesite to the West Bank.

Mr. Barak said in a brief statement early on Tuesday that he didn’t want the deal to jeopardize efforts to obtain the release of an Israeli soldier held in the Gaza Strip.

Palestinians linked to Gaza’s militant Hamas rulers captured Sgt. Gilad Shalit five years ago.

The Israeli military said on Monday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved the transfer of the bodies several months ago. It was not clear why that approval was overturned.

Palestinians were preparing to retrieve the 84 bodies when Hussein Al-Sheikh, head of Palestinian Civil Affairs Commission, told the Voice of Palestine Radio that Israel agreed after extensive talks late on Sunday to hand over the remains it holds in secret cemeteries known as the Cemeteries of Numbers.

Mr. Sheikh said the remains would undergo DNA tests at the Palestinian Abu Dis Institute of Forensic Medicine in order to confirm their identities. He added that the PA would hold a formal ceremony to mark the transfer.

He also added that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and member of the Palestinian leadership would participate in a mass prayer before the remains are handed over to the families in Palestinian territories or Arab countries.

According to the Palestinian Minister of Detainees and Ex-detainees Issa Qaraqi’, Israel holds remains of 317 Arab and Palestinian “martyrs” who were involved in military attacks against Israel.

Most died during the second Palestinian uprising during the last decade.

Mr. Qaraqi’ said that the Israeli authorities were holding them in four cemeteries − one on the Israel-Lebanon-Syria border, two in the Jordan Valley and the fourth near Tiberias Lake.

“Detention of the martyrs’ remains in the Cemeteries of Numbers without proper burial is a punishment to their families,” he said, adding “holding of the martyrs’ remains for many years strengthens doubts that Israel harvested their organs.”

(Dina Al-Shibeeb, a senior editor at Al Arabiya English, can be reached at: [email protected])