AMMAN
Israel and Palestine might pick up peace negotiations after a hiatus of nearly three years, US Secretary of State John Kerry said Friday.
"We have reached an agreement that establishes a basis for resuming direct final status negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis," he said during a press conference at an airport in the Jordanian capital of Amman.
The announcement comes after days of bilateral talks America's top diplomat held with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
"The agreement is still in the process of being formalized," Kerry added, indicating the possibility he might return to Jordan for his continued efforts to broker a peace process.
The talks had foundered in October 2010 after Israel refused to stop the construction of Jewish settlements in Jerusalem.
Palestinian leaders gathered on Thursday under Abbas' leadership in a meeting that saw them agree on a decision to push for the establishment of a Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders, and to suspend the negotiations with Israel until Jewish settlement construction was completely terminated.
