BICOM

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet US Secretary of State John Kerry on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in the Swiss resort of Davos today.

Netanyahu and Kerry are expected to discuss how to advance the peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA) which resumed in July. Last month, Kerry presented both Israeli and Palestinian leaders with a proposed framework for final status talks, which is expected to be the focus of today’s meeting. Israel Radio news reports this morning that Netanyahu said it will soon be clear whether negotiations with the PA can advance.

Justice Minister Tzipi Livni and Netanyahu’s special envoy Isaac Molcho met with Kerry and US envoy Martin Indyk in Washington earlier this week to lay the foundations for today’s meeting between Kerry and Netanyahu. The US State Department said that meeting took place in order “to continue the discussion on a framework for negotiations.” The same State Department statement said “We expect the Palestinian negotiating team to travel to Washington early next week.”

Today, Israel’s President Shimon Peres will be honored at a special WEF plenary session. WEF founder and Chairman Klaus Schwab will hand Peres the “Spirit of Davos” award in recognition of his contribution towards peace, economic and technology. Israel’s President will then address the special session.

Meanwhile, at Davos on Sunday, Livni, Indyk and PA negotiator Saeb Erekat are set to participate in a session with around 100 businesspeople on the peace process and the two state solution. The business delegation is part of an initiative called Breaking the Impasse (BTI) spearheaded by Israeli business leaders including Ofra Strauss, Rami Levy and Yossi Vardi. A statement from BTI said “we know that if Israel wants a stable economy and to enjoy a better future and continued growth, we must reach a diplomatic settlement. “