Israel rejects to bring forward release of Palestinian prisoners: report JERUSALEM, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu refused requests by Palestinian and U.S. officials to bring forward the release of another group of Palestinian prisoners by two and a half weeks, the Ha'aretz daily reported Wednesday. The second group of Palestinian prisoners, locked in Israeli jails over security-related offenses, is set to be released on Oct. 29. The Palestinians had asked to move it to Oct. 13, the day in which Muslim celebrate the Feast of Sacrifice. According to the report, Netanyahu insisted, despite U.S. and Palestinian requests, that the release would take place on schedule and according to the timetables set before the talks commenced. In July, the Israeli cabinet voted to release 104 Palestinians prisoners in several rounds throughout the upcoming months, as a goodwill gesture amid the renewal of the peace talks in late July and protest from far-right politicians. The first group of 26 prisoners was released on Aug. 13. Recently, there have been calls coming mainly from Netanyahu's right-wing part of the coalition to cancel the due release of other Palestinian prisoners, amid an escalation in militant incidents against Israelis in the past month, in which two Israeli soldiers were killed and a nine year-old girl was injured. Peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians have resumed in July after a three-year halt, due to Israel's settlements expansion in the West Bank, on lands annexed during the 1967 Mideast War. The talks have been held under secrecy, and some reports said the talks have reached a deadlock.