Kerry not ready to announce failure of peace talks

Senior aide of the Palestinian Authority President (PA) Mahmoud Abbas revealed on Thursday that

During his meeting with Palestinian President Mahmous Abbas yesterday, US Secretary of State John Kerry aimed to find an “agreement formula” for negotiations with Israel instead of announcing failure of his efforts, a senior Palestinian Authority aide said today.

Kerry met the Abbas in Amman to discuss the peace talks which are wavering and the situation of the release of the fourth batch of the veteran Palestinian prisoners.

Speaking to the local Palestinian news agency Quds Net, Abbas’ aide Mimer Hammad said: “The agreement on the release of the Palestinian prisoners was conducted with the US administration.”

Hammad expects Kerry to phone the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and ask him to go release the prisoners. “Extending negotiations beyond the approaching deadline is linked to the release of the prisoners,” Hammad said.

He also said that Israel has to pledge to freeze settlement construction and setting a certain timetable, with international guardianship, to carry out its obligations, including implementing the Palestinian state on the 1967 borders.

“The US Administration has not given us any agreement formula so far,” Hammad said. “Kerry is trying to find an agreement formula instead of announcing the failure of his efforts,” he added, “but Netanyahu said he would not stop settlements and we will see what Kerry will do.”

Meanwhile, Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman today threatened that Israel would take certain measures should the United Nations Human rights Council vote for a Palestinian draft resolution to boycott Israeli settlements.

Commenting on this, Hammad said: “Whatever Lieberman’s stance is, it would not change the Palestinian situation. I think that the Palestinian situation is supported by the international community.”