Earlier this week Palestinian diplomats expressed surprise and outrage at an Israeli announcement that Jerusalem had approved construction of new homes beyond the Jewish state’s 1948 borders. Foreign media outlets described the move as driven by a “secret deal” involving an “ultranationalist” party. Palestinian officials explicitly suggested that the new construction could derail peace talks.
Secretary of State John Kerry today brushed aside suggestions that the new construction had caught the Palestinians by surprise. He emphasized that while the U.S. views new construction as unhelpful, Palestinian diplomats walked into negotiations knowing the Israeli announcement was pending. He also conveyed Israeli assurances that substantively, the new homes would be biult in areas that, under any realistic final status agreement, would remain Israeli:
But – here’s the but – that said, Prime Minister Netanyahu was completely upfront with me and with President Abbas that he would be announcing some additional building that would take place in places that will not affect the peace map, that will not have any impact on the capacity to have a peace agreement. That means that it is building within the so-called blocs in areas that many people make a presumption – obviously not some Palestinians or others – will be part of Israel in the future. He has specifically agreed not to disturb what might be the potential for peace going forward… President Abbas understood that coming into these talks.
Kerry emphasized that the core issue to resolve is one of final borders, which must according to the Secretary take into account Israel’s security needs. Once borders are set, any questions over settlements in a sense resolve themselves:
If you resolve the borders of Israel – and you can only do that also resolving the security issues for Israel – you have resolved any questions about settlements, because then you know what is in Israel and what is not. And so the sooner we get to that discussion the better.
Kerry also brushed aside suggestions that the new construction should derail talks.
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