Israelis, Palestinians seek peace deal in 9 months

Israeli and Palestinian negotiators set an ambitious goal to reach an elusive peace deal within 9 months Tuesday, July 30, despite warnings of obstacles and provocations lying in wait ahead. Standing side-by-side with US Secretary of State John Kerry, officials from both sides said it was time to end their decades-old conflict. Both sides have agreed to meet again “within the next two weeks,” either in Israel or the Palestinian territories, to begin formal direct, bilateral negotiations, Kerry said. US officials praised the leadership and courage shown by Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and said no one was under any illusion the path ahead was going to be easy. The Obama administration’s last foray into the intractable Arab-Israeli conflict ended in failure, when talks launched in September 2010 collapsed just weeks later over continued Israeli settlement building.


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