ISRAELI and Palestinian teams have flown to Washington, preparing for new Middle East peace talks.
The resumption of talks was made possible by a decision by Israel's cabinet to free 104 long-held Palestinian prisoners in four stages. The release was part of an agreement brokered by US Secretary of State John Kerry to bring the sides back to the negotiating table.
Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas has been reluctant to negotiate with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, fearing the Israeli leader will reject what the Palestinians consider minimal territorial demands. The Palestinians want a state in the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem, territories Israel captured in 1967, but have accepted the principle of limited land swaps to allow Israel to annex some of the dozens of settlements it has built on war-won lands.
Mr Abbas had repeatedly said he will only go to talks if Israel either freezes settlement building or recognises the 1967 lines as a starting point for drawing the border of a state of Palestine.
Palestinian officials reiterated they received US assurances Washington considers the 1967 lines the basis for border talks.
The two teams are to meet in Washington for discussions that will aim to lay the foundations for full-fledged peace talks later this year.
Israel is represented by negotiator Tzipi Livni and Yitzhak Molcho, a Netanyahu aide. The Palestinian team consists of negotiator Saeb Erekat and Abbas aide Mohammed Shtayyeh.
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