Kerry: ‘Talks within reach’
US Secretary of State John Kerry departed Israel on Sunday in an upbeat mood, following four days of shuttle diplomacy between Jerusalem and Ramallah.
There were rumours during his visit that he would convene negotiations before he left. But while this didn’t happen, he insisted that the trip had borne fruit.
“I am pleased to tell you that we have made real progress on this trip and I believe that, with a little more work, the start of final status negotiations could be within reach,” Kerry said.
During Kerry’s visit, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took the most supportive view of the
two-state solution that he has taken during his entire political career.
According to Kerry, at the beginning of his visit there were “very wide gaps” between Israel and the Palestinians, and “we have narrowed those considerably”. He added: “We have some specific details and work to pursue, but I am absolutely confident that we are on the right track.”
Ramallah gave a mixed assessment of the visit. Ashraf Khatib, aide to chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat, told The AJN that his camp is still hopeful about the Kerry process. However, he blamed Israel for holding up negotiations by failing to agree to its demand for a settlement freeze and other preconditions.
“They are putting obstacles in Mr Kerry’s mission,” he said.
But Jerusalem says that just as it is saving all its demands for the negotiation process, and not laying down conditions, Ramallah should do the same. “Israel is ready to begin negotiations without delay, without
preconditions,” Netanyahu said at the end of the Kerry visit. “We are not putting up any impediments on the resumption of the permanent talks and a peace agreement between us and the Palestinians.”
He stressed that issues should be dealt with at the negotiating table, saying; “There are things that we will strongly insist on in the talks themselves, especially security.”
There is speculation that beyond the mutual blame discourse on both sides, there may be movement. Though Israel has no official building freeze, there is something of a de facto freeze in new approvals, and the Israeli daily Haaretz reported that Israel agreed with Kerry on a list of gestures that it will make to the Palestinians to get negotiations restarted.
NATHAN JEFFAY
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