Kerry Announces Resumption of Peace Talks

Arutz Sheva ^ | 19/7/13 | Elad Benari

[Eleutheria5]

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry announced on Friday the resumption of peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

"I'm pleased to announce that we've reached an agreement that establishes a basis for resuming final status negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis," Kerry told reporters in Amman, Jordan, according to AFP.

"This is a significant and welcome step forward,” he added. “The agreement is still in the process of being finalized so we are absolutely not going to talk about any of the elements now."

The top U.S. diplomat added that PLO chief negotiator Saeb Erekat and Israeli negotiator Justice Minister Tzipi Livni would meet him in Washington "to begin initial talks within the next week or so."

In his brief comments to the press, Kerry praised the courage of PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.

"No one believes the long-standing differences between the parties will be resolved overnight or just wiped away. We know that the challenges require some very tough choices in the days ahead," he said, according to AFP.

"Today, however, I am hopeful. I am hopeful because of the courageous leadership by President Abbas and Prime Minister Netanyahu. Both of them have chosen to make difficult choices here and both of them were instrumental."

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[clearcarbon]

"I'm pleased to announce that we've reached an agreement that establishes a basis for resuming final status negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis,"

Did the agreement have anything to do with the shape of a table?

[Eleutheria5]

Tzipi Livni is the “negotiator”. Need I say more?

[Eleutheria5]

It was also agreed, according to this exclusive debkafile report, that the negotiating process would last no less than nine months up until March 2014...

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The Israeli and Palestinian negotiating teams in Washington, who will defer to their principals, Binyamin Netanyahu, Mahmoud Abbas and John Kerry. Those three will only meet for direct talks when the teams have tangible results in the bag.

Before leaving Amman, the US Secretary said cautiously: “The agreement is still in the process of being formalized.”

How does one formalize nonsense? What happens when one does?