RAMALLAH, Dec. 4 (Xinhua) -- Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat stated on Friday that Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Fatah party back any prisoners' swap between Islamic Hamas movement and Israel.

    Israel and Hamas movement are holding talks through German mediators to finalize a prisoners' swap deal and release Shalit for around 1,000 Palestinian prisoners Hamas is demanding their release.

    "We back and support the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails and we are supporting the finalization of the prisoners' swap deal, but we don't support deporting large number of prisoners," said Erekat.

    He referred to the fact that the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) has several times demanded Israel to free senior jailed Fatah leader Marwan al-Barghouti and leader of the Popular Front (PFLP) Ahmed Sa'adat.

    Israel is still refusing to release al-Barghouti and include him in the prisoners' swap deal. Erekat said that Barghouti is "a freedom fighter who has his special position among the Palestinians."

    Asked if finalizing the deal would have negative influence on the PNA and would empower Hamas movement, he said "on the contrary, we support finalizing the deal as soon as possible."

    "Finalizing the deal is a popular and national demand and it should be isolated from any political disputes among the Palestinian factions," said Erekat, who denied that the U.S. asked Israel not to respond to Hamas demands because it would weaken Abbas position.　

Special Report: Palestine-Israel Conflicts