Kerry back to ease Mideast peace talks tension

RAMALLAH // The US secretary of state, John Kerry, will return to the Middle East this week for talks with Palestinian and Israeli officials on the peace process.

The US chief diplomat is planning to stay in the Middle East for a “number of days” in what would be his 10th visit to the region since March, according to a Palestinian official.

“Mr Kerry has told the Palestinian Authority he will return to the region on January 4 to discuss the peace process and negotiations with Israel,” he said.

Mr Kerry, who helped to launch nine-month direct talks between the two sides in July, insisted this month that concrete progress had been made in the peace talks.

But he said details would be kept under wraps as talking about any agreements could be counterproductive.

Tensions are running high ahead of Mr Kerry’s visit because of Israel’s settlement expansion in occupied land that the Palestinians want for their future state.

The Israelis are expected to release Palestinian prisoners tomorrow, before confirming controversial plans to build 1,400 new settler homes in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.

Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian Authority president, has appealed to the United States to halt settler expansion, warning that the issue could derail peace talks.

Another stumbling block is that Israel wants to maintain its military presence on the border following a peace deal. An international force would be acceptable to the Palestinians, but Israel opposes such a solution.

* Agence France-Presse