Kerry in apartheid row as Mideast peace deadline arrives

JERUSALEM: Washington´s deadline for reaching a Mideast peace deal arrived Tuesday with no breakthrough and US Secretary of State John Kerry mired in a row over allegations that he said Israel risks becoming an "apartheid state".

After more than a year of intensive shuttle diplomacy by Kerry, with the initial aim of brokering a deal by April 29, Washington´s patience appeared to be growing thin as both Israel and the Palestinians moved to distance themselves from the crisis-hit talks. Kerry on Monday vehemently denied calling Israel an apartheid state, as a furore grew in the Jewish state over comments the top US diplomat reportedly made during a private meeting.

"I do not believe, not have I ever stated, publicly or privately that Israel is an apartheid state or that it intends to become one," Kerry said in a strong statement after calls for him to resign or at least apologise for the alleged comments, which appeared on US online news site The Daily Beast.

But Kerry, who has seen his dogged efforts to broker peace between Israel and the Palestinians collapse, did suggest that he had used a poor choice of words during his speech Friday to international political experts at the Trilateral Commission.

Kerry insisted that although the peace process was at a point of "confrontation and hiatus", it was not dead -- yet. But both the Palestinians and the Israelis appear to have drawn their own conclusions about the life expectancy of the US-led negotiations, which have made no visible progress since they began nine months ago.

Last week, Palestinian leaders in the West Bank and the Hamas-run Gaza Strip announced a surprise unity deal aimed at ending years of occasionally violent rivalry. Israel denounced the deal as a death blow to peace hopes and said it would not negotiate with any government backed by Hamas, the Islamist movement whose charter calls for the destruction of Israel. Washington called the deal "unhelpful".

Under the agreement, the Palestine Liberation Organisation and Hamas will work to establish a new unity government of political independents headed by president Mahmud Abbas, whose Fatah party dominates the PLO.

Abbas has said the new government will recognise Israel, as well as renouncing violence and abiding by existing agreements, in line with key principles set out by the Mideast peacemaking Quartet.

But Netanyahu has ruled out any negotiation with the new government unless Hamas gives up its vision of destroying Israel.

Kerry urges compromises to advance Mideast peace talks

 

AP US Secretary of State John Kerry jokes with Norwegian Foreign Minister Borge Brende during their meeting on Thursday, at the State Department in Washington.

US Secretary of State John Kerry on Thursday called on the Israelis and Palestinians to make compromises so as to forward the stalled peace talks.

The fresh appeal from the top American envoy came as Israel’s security cabinet decided to suspend the negotiations in response to ongoing reconciliation efforts between rival Palestinian factions of Fatah and Hamas, Xinhua reported.

“There’s always a way forward, but leaders have to make the compromises necessary to do that,” Mr. Kerry told reporters before meeting with Norwegian Foreign Minister Borge Brende at the State Department.

“We may see a way forward, but if they’re not willing to make the compromises necessary, it becomes very elusive.”

Washington is trying its best to extend the negotiations that were restarted in late July last year and supposed to end by April 29 with an agreement on all the core issues like security, border, the status of Jerusalem and refugees.

The talks came to a deadlock after Israel refused to release by late March last group of 26 Palestinian prisoners as agreed, and the Palestinians responded by renewing their efforts to apply for joining 15 UN agencies and conventions.

Fatah and Hamas, which runs the Gaza Strip, announced a reconciliation deal on Wednesday, in which they agreed to start discussions to form a unity government within five weeks, and hold elections within six months after the formation of the unity government.

The deal has drawn rebuke from Israel and the US as both have branded Hamas a terrorist organisation.

“We will never give up our hope or our commitment for the possibilities of peace,” Mr. Kerry said. “We believe it is the only way to go. But right now, obviously, it’s at a very difficult point, and the leaders themselves have to make decisions.”

Mr. Kerry spoke to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas over the phone on Thursday, reiterating US principles regarding a Palestinian government, namely commitment to non-violence, recognition of the State of Israel, and acceptance of previous agreements reached with Israel, State Department spokesperson Jennifer Psaki said.

“Our position as the United States government, outside of the peace process, has long been that any unified government would have to abide by these principles,” Ms. Psaki told reporters at a regular press briefing.

She said Mr. Kerry and Mr. Abbas also discussed ongoing efforts to extend the negotiations, and the US team led by special envoy Martin Indyk “remains on the ground” and “in close touch” with both parties.