14.08 Freed Palestinian Prisoners Return Home from Israel

MOSCOW, August 14 (RIA Novosti) - Twenty six Palestinian prisoners, who were pardoned by the Israeli government earlier in the week, returned home, Al Jazeera reported on Wednesday.

According to the agency, several buses left the Ayalon prison in central Israel late on Tuesday night carrying inmates, with most of them jailed for attacks on Israeli citizens.

Eleven of the 26 released prisoners were met in Ramallah, in the West Bank, by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, while 15 others were greeted by crowds in the Gaza Strip.

The long-term prisoners made up the first group of 104 people, whom Israeli authorities pledged to release as an act of good will in regard to the Palestinian authorities.

The release of the prisoners comes ahead of the second round of direct negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians on Wednesday. Two weeks ago Israel and Palestine resumed direct talks with the US mediation after holding the first round of negotiations in Washington.

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