BICOM

During a speech to the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos on Friday, US Secretary of State John Kerry described the issues which will need to be resolved in a final status accord between Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA).

Kerry’s intense diplomatic activity helped resume peace talks in July and last month he discussed the idea of a framework for final status talks with both Israeli and Palestinian leaders. In his Davos address on Friday, Kerry provided more details on what the terms of reference might include in such discussions.

He said, “The truth is that after decades of struggling with this conflict, we all know what the endgame looks like.” Kerry said that it would include “an independent state for Palestinians wherever they may be,” declining to be more specific on borders. He said it would include “security arrangements for Israel that leave it more secure, not less,” plus “a just and agreed solution to the Palestinian refugee problem; an end to the conflict and all claims.” Kerry also said there would be “mutual recognition of the nation-state of the Palestinian people and the nation-state of the Jewish people,” an apparent nod towards Israel’s insistence that the PA recognise Israel as a Jewish State.

Kerry gave specific attention to security, commenting, “the Israelis rightfully will not withdraw unless they know that the West Bank will not become a new Gaza.” He stressed the importance of Gen John Allen’s consultations with Israeli, Palestinian and Jordanian leaders over a “security structure that meets the highest standards anywhere in the world” in the Jordan Valley, incorporating “a layered defence” system. Israel and the PA disagree over the necessity of Israeli troops to remain in the Jordan Valley in the event of an Israeli withdrawal.

Meanwhile, in Davos yesterday, hundreds of Israeli and Palestinian business leaders gathered in support of a two-state based peace agreement as part of the ‘Breaking the Impasse’ civil society initiative launched last May.