Israel agreed to free hundreds more Palestinian prisoners Sunday, disappointing Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas's hopes for a full amnesty but keeping a US-backed peace "road map" in motion.

Palestinian farmers tend to their aubergine crop in the shadow of a concrete wall erected across their land by the Israeli army to stop Palestinian militants slipping into Israel from the West Bank city of Qalqilya July 7, 2003. Palestinians fear the barrier, consisting of walls and electronic fences now stretching around 150 kms (90 miles), will dash their dream of a viable state in the West Bank, the goal of a new US-backed peace plan. [Reuters]

An Israeli government source confirmed the number of candidates for release but said the list would be finalized after Sharon and Abbas hold separate meetings with President Bush in Washington later this month.

The road map aims to end a 33-month-old Palestinian uprising in the West Bank and Gaza Strip with the promise of statehood by 2005. Abbas has said the release of all 6,000 Palestinian prisoners is vital to boosting grassroots support for the plan. Sharon commended Abbas for coaxing a three-month truce from Palestinian militants in late June. "The prime minister told his counterpart that Israel cannot ignore the fact that recently terrorism and incitement have diminished significantly," Sharon's office said.

But hours later, the army said an Islamic Jihad militant blew himself up accidentally while laying a mine for an Israeli patrol east of the West Bank city of Jenin. Islamic Jihad denied this, saying troops shot the man dead as he fled arrest.

In another incident which jarred the June 29 cease-fire, an assailant thought to be Palestinian knifed and seriously wounded an Israeli pedestrian in Jerusalem, police said.

ISRAEL PUSHES FOR PALESTINIAN CRACKDOWN

Israel reoccupied much of the West Bank after suicide bombings last year. This month forces withdrew from the city of Bethlehem as well as areas of Gaza as mandated by the road map. The security handovers there have been largely successful.

Sharon's office said he told Abbas further pullbacks were contingent on the Palestinians dismantling militant groups, another requirement of the plan. But although Abbas has vowed to punish anyone who violates the truce, he has avoided a crackdown for fear of civil war.

Militants in turn say a resumption of attacks could hinge on the prisoner issue. "If they (Israel) release some of the prisoners, it's not satisfactory," said Ismail Abu-Shanab, a leader of the Islamic group Hamas.

With the list of prisoners for release not yet final, Israeli officials said earlier Sharon might relax criteria to enable members of Hamas and kindred group Islamic Jihad who were not involved in anti-Israeli attacks to go free.

Israel has ruled out releasing Palestinians "with blood on their hands" -- involved in attacks on Israelis. Some government sources said these add up to around half of the 6,000 prisoners, suggesting more releases could be in store. Sunday's meeting was Sharon's fourth with Abbas since the Palestinian prime minister assumed the post in April as part of sweeping reforms demanded by the United States. The move sidelined Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, whom Israel accuses of fomenting violence. He denies it.

During their meeting, Abbas asked Sharon to lift restrictions on Arafat as well as easing travel conditions for Palestinians in general. Sharon's office said Israel would weigh removing some checkpoints, but made no mention of Arafat.

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