Secretary of State John Kerry, who left Israel on Monday, is set to return as early as next week in his bid to broker a “framework” agreement for Israeli-Palestinian peace. Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu said Monday that “there is no American framework document yet,” and that it would not be binding on the sides, Israel Channel 2 TV reported.
Referring to Israel’s dismantling of settlements and unilateral withdrawal from Gaza in 2005, which was followed by a Hamas takeover, rocket fire into Israel, and two small wars, Netanyahu noted: “We saw what happened when we closed our eyes and dismantled settlements. In the best case we get peace; in the worst, we get Afghanistan.”
Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon said today that Israel is working to reach common ground with the Palestinians so that negotiations could continue beyond the agreed nine months. Ya’alon said that the two sides were not discussing a “framework agreement,” but terms that would set the framework for the continuation of talks. The Palestinians have thus far expressed opposition to a position paper proposed by the U.S.
In a letter to Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Elarabi, PA President Mahmoud Abbas said Monday that U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry was trying to reach a framework agreement of understandings and not an interim or final solution for Israeli-Palestinian peace.
Tayeb Abdel Rahim, a senior aide to Abbas, said, “The Palestinian-Israeli track does not need a new framework agreement of understandings. There are several old understandings such as the Oslo Accords, the Road Map and the Annapolis Conference.” He added that the Palestinians remain committed to negotiating with Israel until April. “After that, we will go to the UN organizations (to seek recognition of a Palestinian state) if there are no (Israeli) withdrawals.”
{Matzav.com Israel News Bureau}
kerry is so self centered, its pathetic. He couldn’t care less about the lives of the Palestinians or the Israelis. All he wants is his “piece prize”.