Kerry Uncharacteristically Downbeat Arriving in Israel

US Secretary of State John Kerry has been called many things during his missions to make peace between Israelis and Palestinians, but rarely “pessimistic.” So it came as an anomaly to see the SecState warn before his latest arrival to the region that “people aren’t in the mood for concessions,” presaging little expected success in lowering the level violence and the tension that has gripped Israeli and Palestinian societies. During the past two months, 23 Israelis were killed in seemingly random acts of terror carried out by Palestinians as young as 13 years of age. Most of the assailants were killed at the scene by police, soldiers or armed bystanders. Victims range in age from 13 to 80, underscoring to the public the reality that anyone and everyone is a target. Prior to his arrival in Israel on Tuesday, Kerry told reporters his reason for the trip was “to see if we can get some concrete steps in place – begin to build them, maybe – that could calm things down a little bit so people aren’t living in absolute, daily terror that they might be stabbed or driven into or shot trying to walk around their city.” Kerry will meet with Israeli and Palestinian leaders including Prime Minister Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. The latest act of terror occurred early Tuesday when a Palestinian driver intentionally drove his car into three Israelis, inflicting moderate injuries, before being shot by soldiers. The assailant was also taken to a hospital for treatment. The Israeli daily Haaretz is citing an unnamed Israeli official as saying Netanyahu will ask Kerry for American recognition of construction in the large blocs of Israeli communities located on land Israel conquered in the 1967 war in exchange for the implementation of “meaningful measures” for the Palestinians in the West Bank.