BICOM

At a meeting in New York of the Ad-Hoc Liaison Committee, which oversees international aid to the Palestinian Authority (PA), US Secretary of State John Kerry said that peace talks between Israel and the PA will intensify to achieve a final status agreement.

Few details have been released about the talks in order to prevent leaks which could hamper the process. However, Kerry revealed that there are two tracks to the talks. Formal negotiations between Israel’s Justice Minister Tzipi Livni, special envoy Yitzhak Molcho and Palestinian negotiators Saeb Erekat and Muhammad Shtayyeh are designed at “discerning the gaps.” This is supplemented by a second track involving Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, PA President Mahmoud Abbas and US President Barack Obama which consults “as needed…to move this process forward.” Kerry said that both sides “have agreed now to intensify these talks” and “that the American participation should be increased somewhat in order to try to help.” Kerry stressed that both sides are looking to reach a final status accord, not an interim agreement and that all issues are on the table, including territory, security, refugees and Jerusalem. Meanwhile, in a speech yesterday to the UN General Assembly, Abbas commented that “Israel will gain the recognition of fifty seven Arab and Muslim countries” should a Palestinian state be created.

Following the Ad-Hoc Liaison Committee meeting, Israel’s International Relations Minister Yuval Steinitz announced a series of measures which are designed to aid the Palestinian economy. Speaking alongside PA Finance Minister Shukri Bishara, Steinitz outlined initiatives including 5,000 new work permits for Palestinians in Israel, the export of millions of cubic meters of water to the West Bank and Gaza Strip and increased exports of building materials into Gaza. Bishara said he was “really encouraged by some of the initiatives,” while Steinitz said Israel “has an interest in a strong, viable and prosperous Palestinian economy” and expressed hope that improved economic relations would lead to an improved political climate.