Reports indicate that U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry may ask Israel to delay its next scheduled release of Palestinian terrorist prisoners unless the Palestinian Authority (PA) accepts at least some of the proposals put forth by Kerry on Jordan Valley security as part of Israeli-Palestinian conflict negotiations.
The PA has thus far refused all of Kerry’s proposals on the security issue. Before the current negotiations began, Israel agreed to release 104 Palestinian terrorists from its prisons, 52 of whom have been released so far.
Top Palestinian Liberation Organization official Yasser Abed Rabbo told AFP that Kerry’s Jordan Valley proposals “will drive Kerry’s efforts to an impasse and to total failure.” PA Minister of Prisoner Affairs Issa Karaka confirmed indications of a possible delay in the prisoner release, Israel National News reported.
Last week, Kerry said that Israel and the PA are “closer than they’ve been in years” to achieving a peace agreement. Yet a vast majority of Israeli Jews-87.5 percent-believe the current negotiations will not lead to a peace agreement, according to a new Israel Hayom poll that coincided with Kerry’s latest visit to the region.
{Matzav.com Newscenter}
