A Palestinian minister said on Monday, July 9, that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has rejected an offer by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to release security prisoners in exchange for the renewal of peace talks, Haaretz reported. Palestinian Authority Minister of Prisoner Affairs Issa Qaraqe confirmed that Netanyahu made an offer to release initially 25 Palestinian security prisoners convicted of murdering Israelis and the subsequent release of another 100 prisoners over four stages by the end of 2012. Qaraqe said that Abbas rejected Netanyahu’s offer, demanding instead that the prisoners be released at once and not over various stages. “I want to renew negotiations, but Abbas missed the chance,” Netanyahu said during a press conference on Monday. “His visit to Tehran certainly does not advance peace, especially given what they say there.”