News
US intensifies efforts to overcome peace impasse
The United States is apparently increasing its efforts to make progress in peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA) with the process seemingly deadlocked.
There has been little tangible progress since peace talks resumed in July, despite the significant efforts of US Secretary of State John Kerry. With an end of April deadline to the current talks, Kerry has been expected for several weeks to present both sides with a framework plan for final status talks in order to enable an extension to the negotiations. However, Kerry has encountered significant difficulty in brokering an agreement on the document. Given the stalemate, US special envoy Martin Indyk met separately this weekend with Israel’s chief peace negotiator, Justice Minister Tzipi Livni and senior Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat to try to work out a way forward.
Against this delicate backdrop, Israel is scheduled at the end of this week to complete the fourth and final stage in the overall release of 104 Palestinian prisoners, which Israel agreed in July in order to pave the way for the resumption of peace talks. However, Israeli ministers including Livni have suggested that this may not take place in the absence of a Palestinian agreement to extend peace talks.
The situation has been further complicated by reported PA demands that this week’s release include Arab Israeli citizens and high-profile Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti, who is currently serving five life sentences for murder. As a result, Israel’s Army Radio reports that Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told the United States that for such a release to take place, convicted Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard would need to be freed from American custody, a move which successive American presidents have avoided.
At a cabinet meeting yesterday, Netanyahu said, “We are continuing to work with the Americans”, but blamed Palestinian intransigence for the impasse. Meanwhile, Israel Hayom says the Fatah Executive Committee reiterated over the weekend that it will not relent on its demands.