Israel is releasing 26 long held Palestinian prisoners as part of a deal worked out by the United States to resume peace talks.
The release is the second of four scheduled under the agreement.
All of the prisoners were convicted of murder before the 1993 Oslo agreements between Israel and the PLO. The prisoners have served between 19 and 28 years in Israeli prisons.
The announcement of the prisoner release comes on the heels of a second announcement, Israel will continue building Jewish settlements in the West Bank.
Palestinians walked away from the negotiation table in 2010 over Jewish settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Hamas held press conference Monday to condemn the peace talks between Palestinians and Israelis.
“We renew our rejection of these futile talks, and consider them purely a means for (Israel) to look good to the international community,” Hamas officials Mahmoud al-Zahar said. “We call on the Palestinian people to unite in confronting the crime that is the peace talks.” Continue reading →
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry spoke to reporters after an initial meeting between Israeli and Palestinian negotiators and said that two sides will try to reach a “final status” agreement over the next nine months.
Kerry said that formal negotiations between the two sides would begin in the next two weeks either in Israel or the Palestinian territories. He also said that “all issues” would be up for discussion. Continue reading →
Pastor Jim & Lori welcome Rabbi Jonathan Cahn and Dino & Cheryl Kartsonakis for the Passover Celebration for Day 1 on The Jim Bakker Show. Continue reading →
