Israeli-Palestinian Peace Talks

by Madeline Bilis 11-6-13

A peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians is still in the works.

Secretary of State John Kerry attempted to help restore relations today when he met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem. Kerry reasoned that both states deserve to live in peace. Netanyahu, however, said that peace might not be a reality.

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“I’m concerned about their progress because I see the Palestinians continuing with incitements, continuing to create artificial crises, continuing to avoid and run away from the historic decisions that are needed to make a genuine peace,” said Netanyahu.

Kerry later met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Bethlehem and said that the Palestinians were willing to compromise “in an effort to find a fair and just peace.”

The division between the two groups currently deals with the construction of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and in Jerusalem. Israelis claim Palestinians agreed on the continuation of the construction in exchange for freed Palestinian prisoners.

This makes Kerry’s seventh trip to the Middle East since March.