ANKARA
US Secretary of State John Kerry's shuttle diplomacy in the Middle East reflects Washington's desire to shore up a Palestinian-Israeli peace deal to help build a regional alliance against Iran, Israeli and Palestinian experts believe.
"Peace seems today as an American interest more than it is being an Israeli or a Palestinian interest," Israeli political analyst Yossi Nesher told Anadolu Agency on Monday.
Kerry left Israel earlier Monday wrapping up his 10th round of peace talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaderships since taking office in February.
Washington's top diplomat reportedly plans to return to the region next week for more talks.
"Kerry is connecting both the Palestinian and Iranian files," Nesher said.
"He believes that the solution the Palestinian issue would contribute to the formation of a moderates' alliance in the region, led by Saudi Arabia, and Egypt in order to confront the Iranian nuclear project."
Kerry paid a several-hour visit to Saudi Arabia Sunday where he held talks with Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdel Aziz.
He flew to Riyadh from Amman after similar talks with Jordanian King Abdullah II.
"Kerry is trying to form a kind of Arab umbrella for Abbas which would allow him to accept the framework agreement and to provide concessions to the Israeli side," Nesher suggested.
"Hence, he needs Saudi Arabia, which first introduced the Arab peace initiative, to introduce some amendments to the initiative," added the Israeli expert.
Direct peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority resumed in Washington last July after a pause of almost three years.
The US is seeking to broker an agreement on a "two-state solution".
Stalemate
Experts believe Kerry is racing against time to work out proposals acceptable to both sides, especially on the thorny issues of Al-Quds (occupied East Jerusalem), the Palestinian refugees' right of return and control over the Jordan Valley.
Israeli newspaper Maariv reported Monday that Kerry "exercised pressure on [Israeli] Prime Minister Netanyahu to adopt a more compromising position… on rejecting the return of Palestinian refugees."
He reportedly promised in return that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas would recognize Israel as a Jewish state.
"But Netanyahu is still insisting on rejecting this proposal," the Israeli daily said.
But the proposal was also unacceptable to the Palestinians.
"Abbas rejected this idea because it would harm the right of return for Palestinian refugees, and will jeopardize the future of Palestinian Arabs inside Israel," a senior Palestinian source familiar with the talks told AA.
said Kerry was proposing the division of Al-Quds and the formation of an international committee, with the participation of Saudi Arabia and Jordan, to administer Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, a holy site to both Muslims and Jews.
"No Palestinian can or dare to approve the abolishment the refugees right of return or the division of Al-Quds," Palestinian political analyst Hanna Issa told AA.
"We are talking here about an initiative which undermines the historical rights of the Palestinians," he explained.
"The Palestinian leadership made it very clear at a meeting with Kerry a few days ago that they will never give up Al-Quds," Issa said.
"Kerry went back to the US because he has failed miserably in his mission," he added.
But as red lines appear to hinder Kerry's efforts, no side seems to be willing to walk out of the talks.
"Netanyahu is surrounded by a right-wing government and a weak coalition, while Abbas has already lost control over a portion of his people under Hamas' control in Gaza," noted Nesher, the Israeli analyst.
"However, despite the difficulties and obstacles, neither of the two sides can withdraw from the negotiations," he said.
"For the Palestinians, the withdrawal means a threat to the project of the Palestinian state and no release for the fourth group of prisoners," added.
Israel had earlier approved the release of 104 long-serving Palestinian prisoners over four stages, ending on March 29, as part of the deal to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.
Three batches had already been released.
"As for Israel, the withdrawal means a kind of an international isolation and possibly the collapse of Netanyahu's weak government, not to mention the mounting tensions with Washington, which Netanyahu is trying to avoid in preparation for dealing with the Iranian nuclear file, which remains a priority for him," said Nesher.
But Issa believes it is only a matter of time before the process is pronounced dead.
"The Israeli side does not want to withdraw from the Jordan Valley and Al-Quds," he noted.
"In addition, they want the Palestinians to recognize Israel as a Jewish-only state and therefore there is no need to continue these dead negotiations."
englishnews@aa.com.tr
