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## Middle East

19 July 2013 Last updated at 04:27 GMT

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# Palestinians undecided on Kerry peace talks plan

Mahmoud Abbas has met John Kerry twice this week to discuss the US plan
Continue reading the main story

## Mid-East crisis

- 'Economic peace'
- Frank words from Obama in Israel
- Ending the deadlock
- Press sees little point in visit

Palestinian leaders have ended a meeting to discuss a possible revival in peace talks with Israel without reaching a decision.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas had briefed them on the latest US proposal to restart talks.

Reports suggest many present felt the plan did not do enough to ensure talks about borders would be based on pre-1967 ceasefire lines.

US Secretary of State John Kerry has been in the region to discuss the plan.

Having extended his visit to the region by a night amid signs of progress, Mr Kerry will return to the US on Friday.

A State Department official said Mr Kerry would consult Israeli and Palestinian leaders before leaving, adding that the debate over reviving peace talks was "appropriate and encouraging".

The BBC's Yolande Knell in Jerusalem says the outcome will be disappointing for Mr Kerry after another week of intense shuttle diplomacy in which he won support from the Arab League for his peace plans.

The White House said President Barack Obama had spoken to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by telephone, urging him to resume negotiations with the Palestinians "as soon as possible".

The State Department has acknowledged that Mr Kerry is unlikely to be able to announce a breakthrough on his latest visit.

"There are currently no plans for an announcement on the resumption of negotiations," said spokeswoman Jen Psaki.

Continue reading the main story
Analysis Lyse Doucet Chief international correspondent

There is a growing flurry of predictions that US Secretary of State John Kerry may get Israeli and Palestinian negotiators back to the table.

However settlements are still a major stumbling block. As Mr Kerry shuttles, Israel keeps announcing plans and permits for new homes.

Through endless hours of face-to-face talks and telephone conversations, aides from all sides are trying to put together a detailed plan of incentives and commitments.

But it still comes down to the political will of Israeli and Palestinian leaders.

Even if they do sit down around a table again, there is the bigger question of whether they will ultimately succeed in closing a deal, at last. On that, all bets are off the table for now.

The priority now is just getting to the table.

- Read more from Lyse

Mr Kerry has not given details of his plan to revive direct peace talks, which stalled nearly three years ago. However, he has met Mr Abbas in Jordan twice in the past two days.

After a meeting in Amman, the Arab League supported the latest US proposals saying they "provide the ground and a suitable environment to start negotiations".

This raised speculation that President Abbas's Fatah faction and senior members of the broader Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) would concur at meetings in Ramallah.

However, several members of the Fatah central committee have already asked for changes to the US plan.

And most officials who attended the meeting with PLO leaders "described Kerry's offer as not sufficient for resuming negotiations with Israel," PLO official Qais Abdel-Karim told Reuters.

Previously the Palestinians have demanded a freeze on Israeli settlement construction in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem before a return to peace talks. They have also asked for negotiations about borders to be based on pre-1967 ceasefire lines.

Israel's coalition government, which includes pro-settler parties, has said there should be no preconditions.

It is widely reported in the Israeli media that Mr Kerry has presented a plan that includes the resumption of talks on pre-1967 lines with land swaps that take into account the major settlement blocs in the West Bank.

The reports suggest that, in return, Palestinians would recognise Israel as a Jewish state.

The Israeli prime minister's office has declined to comment.

On his Facebook page, Naftali Bennett, who leads the third biggest party in the Israeli governing coalition, rejected any such terms.

"The Jewish Home party under my leadership will not be a partner, not even for one second, in a government that agrees to negotiation based on 1967 lines," he said.

"Jerusalem, our capital, is not and will never be subject to negotiations."

Such a deal would also be extremely difficult for Palestinians to accept as it has serious implications for Palestinian refugees and the Israeli-Arab population.

The rights of Palestinian refugees, borders, settlements and the status of Jerusalem are all core issues in any final status peace agreement.

In recent months, John Kerry has paid six visits to the Middle East in an effort to restart talks between Israel and the Palestinians.

He has said that time is running out for a two-state solution to their decades-old conflict.

## More on This Story

### Mid-East crisis

- ##### 'Economic peace'

  A major investment plan for the Palestinians holds out hope of breaking the peace talks impasse, but as Yolande Knell reports, there are some who fear it could come at a political price.

- ##### Frank words from Obama in Israel

- ##### Ending the deadlock

- ##### Press sees little point in visit

- ##### Palestinians disappointed

- ##### Charm offensive

- ##### Unbreakable bond

- ##### Cabinet for change

- ##### Q&A: UN bid

- ##### New Palestinian powers?

- ##### Conflict's legality

- ##### Palestinian territories

- ##### Q&A: Israel-Gaza violence

#### Guides

- ##### Talks: Where they stand

- ##### History of peace talks

- ##### Eased Gaza blockade

### From other news sites

- #### Times of India Israel must agree on borders: Palestinians 2 hrs ago

- #### The Australian* Palestinians rebuff plan for peace talks 4 hrs ago

- #### Yahoo! UK and Ireland Abbas delays decision on peace talks, 9 hrs ago

- #### Telegraph New blow to Middle East peace hopes 14 hrs ago

- #### Turkish Daily Kerry pushes hard for US drive on Middle East 17 hrs ago

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