Jerusalem (CNN) -- For the first time in three years, Israelis and Palestinians will come to the negotiating table in Washington on Monday night. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry reiterated praise for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Monday morning. The talks will be "a difficult process," but he added that the consequences of not trying could be worse. Kerry said the goal is to seek "reasonable compromises" on "tough, complicated, emotional" and symbolic issues, then he announced former U.S. ambassador to Israel, Martin Indyk, as U.S. envoy to the talks. Indyk understands that peace will not come easily, but that "there is now a path forward, and we must follow that path with urgency," Kerry added.
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Peace negotiations are to start Monday night in Washington, the U.S. State Department says
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Israel plans to release 104 Palestinian prisoners, starting next week
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Any peace plan would have to be approved by a vote of Israelis, Israel's Cabinet says
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The goal of the talks is to agree to a Palestinian state's borders, make security arrangements
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In a precursor to the talks, Netanyahu prodded the Israeli government into approving the release of 104 @placeholder prisoners -- a move that flies in the face of popular sentiment in Israel.
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Also at Sunday's meeting, the Cabinet approved the opening of diplomatic negotiations with the @placeholder and authorized a team headed by Netanyahu and four other top ministers to conduct the prisoner release.
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"Second, they will be released as announced by (Israeli Justice Minister Tzipi) Livni in stages, depending on the attitude of the Palestinian negotiators on the table, which means the issue of @placeholder prisoners will be used as an instrument of political blackmail," he said.
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Some observers see the @placeholder prisoner release vote, for example, is a sign that the talks have a good chance at being successful.