US: Israel Not Taking “Actions, Efforts” to Restart Peace Talks

By Lea Speyer 
“Are all these words to go unanswered? Is this talker to be vindicated?” (Job 11:2)
(Photo: Hadas Parush/Flash90)
(Photo: Hadas Parush/Flash90)
US Secretary of State John Kerry will not be unveiling a new peace proposal to a Palestinian delegation visiting Washington, a US official confirmed on Monday.
Citing the move as unproductive, State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki dismissed reports that the secretary would attempt to kick-start the Israeli-Palestinian peace process once again when meeting with chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat.
“There are no current plans to introduce a peace plan,” Psaki stated. “It is up to the parties to take steps.”
Kerry’s last attempt to broker peace between Israel and the Palestinians ended in failure earlier this year. The failed talks left both Israel and the Palestinians fuming.
While US officials insist that progress was made during the nine-month long negotiation process, Washington has thus far repelled calls to bring both sides back to the negotiating table.

“We know what the issues are, we know what the conditions would be, and it’s up to them. So we’re only going to take steps that we think would be productive,” Psaki stated.
Psaki also condemned Israel for approving construction plans of 500 homes in East Jerusalem. She expressed “the unequivocal and unanimous opposition of the US and the international community.”
She said that while the US would be “willing to be a capable partner” to help resume peace negotiations, Psaki insisted that currently there was no “evidence” of either side’s willingness.
On Israel, Psaki stated: “If they were going to restart a peace negotiation, we would be seeing actions and we’d be seeing efforts on their part to do that.”