Jerusalem - Israel postponed to next week the release of some 230 Palestinian prisoners, originally planned for Tuesday as a goodwill gesture for the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, Israel Radio reported.

Israeli government officials told the radio that they decided to delay the release by one week at the request of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Abbas is currently in Mecca and scheduled to return later this week. The Palestinian president was present during the last prisoners' release by Israel in August and personally welcomed the 198 ex- detainees who at a ceremony in his Ramallah headquarters.

An Israeli ministerial committee approved Sunday the release of 230 Palestinian prisoners during the Muslim Festival of Sacrifice

All the prisoners to be freed are members of the armed wings of Abbas' secular Fatah movement, and none from the radical Islamic Hamas movement.

Israel has said the periodic release of small numbers of Fatah militants is aimed at boosting support for the moderate Palestinian in his power struggle with his bitter rival Hamas.

Some 8,250 Palestinian militants and radicals are currently jailed in Israel, according to the Israeli B'Tselem organization. They are held for offences ranging from involvement in shooting and bomb attacks against Israelis, to weapons smuggling and membership in militant factions outlawed by Israel.

Some 3,000 additional Palestinians are jailed in Israel for criminal offences and are therefore not considered what Israel calls "security prisoners" and what Palestinians call "political detainees." (dpa)