Israeli minister: Talks with Palestinians unlikely despite Kerry bid

A senior Israeli official on Saturday played down the prospect of shuttle diplomacy by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry reviving long-stalled peace negotiations with the Palestinians.           

Asked whether new talks might be imminent, Civil Defense Minister Gilad Erdan, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's security cabinet, told Israel's Channel Two television: "To my regret, no, as of now."          

He blamed "preconditions" set by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, whom Kerry met in Jordan twice in two days, alternating the meetings with talks with Netanyahu in Jerusalem.      

On Friday, U.S. Secretary of State Kerry met with Israeli President Shimon Peres in Jerusalem in an effort to restart the long stalled peace process between Israel and the Palestinians.

Before the meeting Peres thanked Kerry for what he called his "investment" in the peace process.

"All of us admire your investment in creating really the right environment to open the peace," said Peres.

The Secretary of State shuttled between Israelis and Palestinians in his latest diplomatic mission to coax the two sides back to the negotiating table.

Kerry returned to Jerusalem for a second visit in less than 24 hours after a 2-hour meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Amman, Jordan, Kerry's base of operations during his stop in the Middle East.

The Friday meeting between Kerry and Peres came after a meeting with Israeli Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu whom he also met on Thursday evening.

The goal is to restart talks on finding a two-state solution to the conflict.

Kerry, who is on a two-week visit to the Middle East and Asia, met with Abbas in a diplomatic area of the Jordanian capital.
The State Department said Kerry and Abbas had a "very constructive discussion" focused on advancing the peace process, and that Iran and the Syrian conflict also came up.

State Department officials say Kerry will continue to try to find common ground between the two sides that would lead to a resumption of negotiations.

On this trip, Kerry is trying to pin down precisely what conditions Abbas and Netanyahu have for resuming talks and perhaps discuss confidence-building measures.


AP/REUTERS