Israel releases 26 convicted Palestinian terrorists ahead of talks

Ahead of the resumptions of peace talks, the first group of 15 Palestinians serving long sentences for murdering Israelis was put on a bus with tinted windows Tuesday night and driven to the Erez gateway to the Gaza Strip. The second batch of eleven was welcomed in Ramallah by Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas. Families of their victims continued to demonstrate against the release of these convicted terrorists, a gesture made by their government to facilitate Palestinian participation in the peace talks brokered by Secretary of State John Kelly. Wednesday afternoon, Israeli’s Justice Minister Tzipi Livni meets Palestinian negotiator Saab Erekat in Jerusalem – without photo ops, at Kerry's request.  More Palestinian terrorists will be released in another three tranches in accordance with progress in the talks.