Israel to release 104 Palestinian prisoners

Israel will release 104 Palestinian prisoners in a bid to boost prospects for the resumption of peace talks with Palestine, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said.

Netanyahu published the figure in a letter to the nation Saturday night, Xinhua reported Sunday.

In the letter posted on Netanyahu's official Facebook page, the prime minister said he was seeking the support of the Israeli public in what he defined as an "incredibly difficult decision".

"At times, prime ministers need to make decisions that oppose public opinion -- when the move is important for the state," Netanyahu wrote.

He said the release of the prisoners will test "whether we face a Palestinian side that wants, as we do, a genuine end to the conflict between us".

Previous estimates said Israel will release about 80 prisoners, as part of gestures before the expected resumption of peace talks in Washington Tuesday.

Media report said Netanyahu agreed to raise the number after the Palestinians threatened not to attend the initial talks.

Some of the prisoners are Israeli-Arabs whom Israel had refused to free in the past.

Talks between the two sides had broken down in September 2010 over Israel's settlement construction in the West Bank. A recent intensive shuttle diplomacy by US Secretary of State John Kerry made Israel and the Palestinians agree to resume direct talks.