Israeli and Palestinian officials are travelling to Washington today for the first peace talks between the two sides in three years.
The negotiations are being facilitated by the US Secretary of State John Kerry. In a statement last night, Secretary Kerry thanked the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas for their "willingness to make difficult decisions that have been instrumental in getting to this point. We are grateful for their leadership.”
"A special day"
The Israeli President Shimon Peres has hailed the resumption of talks as "a special day".
He says, "We want to establish a two-state solution of a Palestinian state beside the state of Israel, living in peace and friendship and bringing an end to all conflict, which is so necessary today for all the people in the Middle East."
"The Middle East is in a stormy situation. We hope the Middle East will overcome its storm and land in a port of peace," the 89-year-old head of state added.
Prisoners to be released
The prospect of talks cleared the final hurdle yesterday after Israel's cabinet voted 13-7 in favour of releasing 104 senior Palestinian prisoners as a gesture of goodwill.
Both sides have already set themselves a six to nine month deadline to reach a prospective agreement.
Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat and Abbas aide Mohammed Shtayyeh will represent the Palestinians, and Justice Minister Tzipi Livni and advisor Yitzhak Molcho will attend for Israel.
