Secretary of State John Kerry has set a nine-month timeline for the latest round peace talks between Israel and Palestine, claiming that the talks, which began in Washington D.C on Monday, will reconvene in the Middle East within two weeks.
The most recent talks, follow a six month period of shuttle diplomacy that aimed to restart negotiations that failed in 2008. Similarly, an attempt to restart talks in 2010 failed after just one day of negotiations.
“Our objective will be to achieve a final status agreement over the course of the next nine months,” Kerry said. “We all understand the goal that we’re working towards: two states living side by side in peace and security.”
When the talks reconvene in either Israel or Palestine, it will begin the process of formal negotiations. Kerry said that “all issues” would be on the table for discussion.
In the many years of Israeli-Palestinian conflict, no negotiator has been successful in negotiating a peace settlement, so many people are beginning to wonder why Kerry has chosen to place diplomatic efforts on this area if the Middle East right now.
“Neither side could ultimately say ‘no’ to Secretary Kerry.” Council on Foreign Relations Senior Fellow Robert M. Darin said in reference to the peace talks, during a press call. “Both sides tested him and didn’t give very much. But he convinced them that he wasn’t going to go away and that this is so important to him, that the price of saying ‘no’ to the United States was just to high.”
According to Sate Department spokeswoman, Jen Psaki, the preliminary talks in Washington will be led by Israeli Prime Minister, Izipi Livni, and chief Palestinian negotiator, Saeb Erekat.
The preliminary will address the framework for more negotiations to follow, in an attempt to reach a peace settlement. Negotiations are expected to last nine months.
“In launching the talks yet again, Secretary Kerry has shifted the goal to an even more ambitious one than the one set by President Obama,” Darin said. “Kerry is essentially trying to end the conflict following 1948 war. That’s a much more ambitious goal, but it’s the only one that will end the conflict in all claims. There are tradeoffs there and upsides and downsides to each approach”
Despite deep skepticism, Kerry remains optimistic about the prospects of the peace talks.
“While I understand the skepticism, I don’t share it, and I don’t think we have time for it,” he said.
Palestinians claim that Arabs will outnumber Jews in Israel by 2020. Last year the U.N. General Assembly recognized the state of Palestine in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem. Yet Palestinians continue to complain about the settlements, and may even take their grievances to International Criminal Court.
These peace talks also come in the wake of an Israeli agreement to release 104 Palestinian prisoners, a decision that was aimed at tearing down negotiation roadblocks. The decision to release the prisoners upset many Israelis, and was very difficult for their government.
“From time to time, prime ministers are called on to make decisions that go against public opinion – when the matter is important for the country.” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in an open letter to the citizens of Israel. “At the present time, it seems to me that it is very important for the State of Israel to enter into a diplomatic process.
Netanyahu went on to explain that this diplomatic process is very important for Israel’s chances of exhausting the “chance of ending the conflict with the Palestinians” as well as establishing “Israel’s position in the complex international reality.”
Although Kerry is aiming for a “reasonable compromise,” many experts agree that President Barack Obama will need to become more directly involved for the two sides to reach a comprehensive deal. Yet negotiators remain hopeful.
“It’s going to be hard, with ups and downs.” Livni said, “But I can assure you that … in these negotiations, it’s not our intention to argue about the past, but to create solutions and make decisions for the future.”