Israel, Palestine to resume negotiations next week
US Secretary of State John Kerry stands between Israel's Justice Minister and chief negotiator Tzipi Livni (R) and Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat after the resumption of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, July 30, 2013, Washington. Photo: AP |
The US State Department said Thursday that Middle East peace negotiations will resume next week at another meeting in the West Bank. The latest round of talks, which began in July in the US after a 3-year pause, was chaired by US Secretary of State John Kerry. Tzipi Livni, Israel’s Minister of Justice and chief negotiator said both sides have agreed to hold alternating meetings in Israel and territories under Palestinian control. The US State Department's announcement was released just as Israel approved 800 new houses in Jewish resettlement areas of the West Bank. The US refuses to recognize the legitimacy of the resettlement operation and objects to the idea of legalizing resettlement.