U.S. brokered peace negotiations seem to be taking a turn. On Sunday, Israel sent the Palestinians a proposal which they hope will lead to extending peace talks beyond their April 29 deadline.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hopes that the future of the peace talks will be decided within the next few days. On Sunday, in a meeting with ministers from his Likud party, the prime minister said that “either the matter will be resolved or it will blow up.”
In return, Palestinian Authority officials presented U.S. mediators their own peace framework extension proposal. The primary Palestinian demands include that Israel should release 1,000 additional prisoners of PA choosing, freeze settlement construction, and transfer certain areas of Area C to PA control.
Negotiations have come to a complete standstill over the issue of releasing Palestinian terrorist prisoners. Israel has refused to release the terrorists due to the lack of guarantee by the Palestinian Authority to extend peace talks.
Rumors from the PA have indicated that once the prisoners have been released, PA President Mahmoud Abbas would completely withdraw from all negotiations. Without full confidence in the PA, Israel has refused to release the terrorists.
The 26 terrorists were to be freed from Israeli prison this past weekend but Israel informed the PA on Friday that their release was to be blocked.
“In any case, there won’t be any deal without Israel knowing clearly what it will get in exchange,” Netanyahu said.
Intelligence Minister Yuval Steinitz told reporters on Sunday that Israel “agreed to the fourth batch” but would not release them as long as Abbas would “blow up the negotiations” the day after.
PA officials told AFP that overnight Sunday, Abbas was presented with a draft agreement to restart talks. An Israeli official said, “Now the Palestinians need to reply if they are willing to continue negotiations.”
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who is in Paris, spoke with Netanyahu Sunday night. Kerry did not comment on the particulars of the Israeli proposal, other than saying that “It’s really a question between the Palestinians and the Israelis, and what Prime Minister Netanyahu is prepared to do. We’ll see where we are tomorrow when some judgments have to be made.”
Reports indicate the Kerry may make another trip to the region in order to save the peace process.
