Abbas in Paris: Kerry Mission is Failing

Speaking to reporters in Paris on Friday, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas publicly characterized US Secretary of State John Kerry’s peace efforts as failing. Abbas met with Kerry twice last week to discuss the framework agreement the SecState has presented, but according to Palestinian sources, their demands are not adequately in-play. In particular, the Palestinians feel the US interlocutor has not completely assimilate their demands on 1967 borders as the benchmark for talks or the demand for a Palestinian right of return. One official was quoted as suggesting that Kerry’s positions were too similar to Israeli positions. At the moment, there is no scheduled date for resuming talks between the parties. Palestinian chief negotiator Sa’ib Ariqat last week reiterated his government’s opposition to allowing any additional time – “not one minute more” – for Kerry when his original agreed-to nine months ends in a few weeks.