Abbas Reportedly Ready to Meet Netanyahu but Ongoing Preconditions Remain

An Israeli television channel reported on Monday that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is prepared to return to the negotiating table opposite Israel Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. Abbas reportedly said he will discuss his conditions for returning to talks with US Secretary of State John Kerry when the SecState returns this week for a fifth shot at jumpstarting negotiations that have been suspended for more than four years. The report indicated the Palestinian leader is willing to “test the seriousness of the Israeli government” and if the talks do not produce agreements quickly, return to the United Nations where Abbas has been seeking statehood recognition from UN agencies. The Israeli side has been pushing for talks to begin without preconditions. Kerry is presently in Saudi Arabia dealing with the issue of Western support for Syria’s opposition forces.