Secretary of State John Kerry has been unable to win quick agreement for new peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, and as he returns to Israel this week, the sense of momentum surrounding his effort is fading. Kerry had hoped to announce earlier this month that both sides were ready to return to the negotiating table after a lull lasting most of the past five years, but PA President Mahmoud Abbas is dragging his feet, resisting strong U.S. pressure to drop his conditions for new talks.
Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu has agreed to restart talks, and Israeli officials squarely blame Abbas for the delay. “I think we should stop negotiating about the negotiations. I think we should just get on with it,” Netanyahu said.
{Matzav.com Israel News Bureau}
