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Livni and Kerry meet as efforts continue to renew peace talks
Israel’s Justice Minister Tzipi Livni, who is leading Israel’s efforts to renew peace talks with the Palestinians, met yesterday in the Jordanian capital Amman with US Secretary of State John Kerry.
Yesterday’s meeting, which was also attended by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s special envoy Yitzhak Molcho, followed two meetings which Kerry held with Netanyahu in Jerusalem towards the end of last week. The meeting was focused on finding a way to resume direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Kerry has made a concerted effort to kick-start such talks since taking office in February, becoming a regular visitor to the region. Kerry also met yesterday in Amman with PA President Mahmoud Abbas and senior Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat. It was Kerry’s third meeting with Abbas since Thursday.
Israel has made clear its desire to renew negotiations with the Palestinians immediately, whilst the Palestinian Authority continues to insist Israel first freeze all settlement construction, agree to 1967 borders plus swaps, and release pre-Oslo prisoners. Although there was no official announcement following yesterday’s meetings, Ynet News quotes an unnamed diplomatic source saying that “there has not been a breakthrough yet, but the goal is to renew talks in June.”
However, on Sunday, Kerry did announce a large-scale £3billion plan to revitalise the Palestinian economy fuelled by private investment and business ventures. Outlining the initiative at the World Economic Forum in Jordan, Kerry said that the plan aims to make the Palestinian economy self-sufficient rather than reliant on foreign aid. Tony Blair, in his capacity as envoy of the Middle East Quartet, will oversee the implementation of the initiative.
Israel’s President Shimon Peres also spoke at the World Economic Forum, sharing a platform with Abbas, Kerry and Jordan’s King Hussein. Peres urged “not to waste time and to return to negotiations and complete the peace process with the Palestinians based on two states for two peoples.” Addressing Abbas directly, Peres said “you are our partner, and we are yours.”