US framework agreement to be published within weeks

A US brokered framework peace agreement will be ready before the nine month period ends although there are points in the settlement that both parties will not accept, US Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro said.

Shapiro told Israel’s Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper on Monday that he believes the draft for a framework agreement will not be a dead letter “as detractors of the United States led process claim”.

“I believe the document will carry real and significant content. It doesn’t mean that each side will agree with each word, and there will still be many subjects to deal with in the negotiations for a final agreement,” he said.

The US ambassador said: “Israel and the Palestinians have an opportunity to reach the framework agreement before the end of the nine month period set by the two sides when the current peace efforts began.”