The U.S. announced that the first substantive peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians in years will begin Monday evening in Washington, after Israeli leaders agreed Sunday to release 104 Palestinian prisoners.
U.S. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki announced that the preliminary talks will be led by Israeli Justice Minister Tzipi Livni and Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat.
Earlier Sunday, calling it "painful for the entire nation," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu won a vote in his divided Cabinet to release the Palestinian prisoners, many convicted of killing Israelis, in order to restart peace talks brokered by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.