In September the Pals could declare a state. At the last vote at the UN 138 nations backed them, and 9 backed Israel. They appear to have the votes, and a majority of the nations of the world, and 4 of the veto holding member of the SC. Kosovo became independent from Serbia with only 58 nations support, and despite opposition from Russia. Israel has a shot at getting a better deal if they negotiate now, rather then wait for the world to force them to agree terms.

I was watching this movie the other night, you might have heard of it, it's called "Raiders of the Lost Ark". Set in 1936 they have those scenes when the plane flys over the lands, and you see the cities and lands on the map. Right their on the map, next to Egypt and Syria, they had a swath of land, clearly name 'Palestine'. You could probably check this on Utube, but it looks like all a cross the world, in books, media and films, the idea that this land was, has and always will be the land of the Israelis' is refuted. Is suppose the old Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem was supposed to last forever too, but they only managed 200 years, and they weren't foolish enough to try and keep 4 million Arabs under constant occupation.

Due to the influence the Israeli lobby holds over the US Senate, Kerry and Obama cannot threated to cut funds to Israel them selves. They have cunningly used their allies in Europe instead, and as the EU is immune to Israel's lobbying, and buys 75% of Israel's exports, they hold quite a large stick as punishment. If Bibi doesn't produce results that the White House likes, Kerry may meet with EU leaders again and ask them to cancel further funding, tourism, get Germany to refuse to deliver the Dolphin subs, or provide repair parts. Bibi was a fool to think that he could snub his closest supporters and allies and that they would back him forever. Still what do you expect from a man who would rather have a trip to China then help the US court case against terror groups and the Chinese bank that laundered their money?

You are absolutely right, when the extreme messianic right are appopleptic about news its got to be wonderful. The settlers should be packing their bags now, Palestine is about to gain her long overdue independence and her Green, white, black and red flag will fly proudly at the United Nations alongside the Star of David, in peace as two sovereign nations and as brothers and Neighbours. The extremist non-existent fantasy land of Judea and Samaria will finally pass back into the realm of the messianic delusions and fantasies of racist religious extremeists who seek to permanently divide and cause conflict between Jews and Arabs. Here's hoping for successfull negotiations that finally establishes love and brotherhood between the two great intellectual peoples of the middle east, each of whom is a credit to the Human race. Salaam/Shalom

Kudos for the Americans for putting so much effort into this (is any other nation/entity doing anything?) It's a thankless job, sure to upset the extremists on both sides, but forcing the two parties to the table is the only possible way to resolve this. And while the Israelis and the Palestinians will no doubt be given the reins for the talks, I'm not sure they should. Perhaps the Americans, with UN guidance, should just draft an agreement and force the two sides to accept it. Then the Palestinians and the Israelis can bond by whining about the Americans. Worth a shot if these talks don't work.

when Islam reforms and accepts Israel as the Homeland of the Jews. Islam has bloddy borders- not just with Israel

As usually you are dead-wrong again. There will be two Pal states, one in the West and one in Gaza, Only temporarily, when they follow Assad's example to annihilate each other in the struggle for leadership. This is their way of life all around in the ME.

kerry (or any of his predecessors) is not looking for peace. he is looking for peace TALKS. they are very different things. the idea behind peace talks is to make it appear that america has power and to show to the arabs world that the US can also beat up on israel (and hence should not be the target of arab/islamic enmity). kerry, as liberal as he is, no longer smokes pot, so he does not think this has anything to do with actual peace.

I don't know if you realized, but Israel is always the center of the problem. For really no reason at all, but still. I mean hell, Time magazine rated Syria as a safer place than Israel this year. All the countries in the mddile east can solve their own problems through violence. But Israel killing a single Palestinian will get more negative press than a presidential coup in Egypt. Also because of this phenomenon, working on peace negotiations in Israel gets better postive press for the USA and Obama than trying to stick their noses in the problems of Egypt or Syria

...become the seat of the American Secretary of State, when in the region. The only legal partition of Palestine/Eretz Israel took place in 1922 and carried out by an act of the League of Nations. At the time 77% of the territory of Palestine/Eretz Israel was handed over to the Arabs, and only 23% of it to the Jews. The former were given that part of the territory located between the Jordan River and the Arabian desert, with Amman as its capital city. The Jews were assigned the territory located between the Jordan River and the Med. Sea with its capital city of Jerusalem. This legal act, of course, was then adopted by the UN and etched into its charter, article 80, 1945. Gradually, and properly, Mr. Kerry, by his own actions, signals to the Arabs that legality is important here, and if they truly want to live peacefully alongside the nation-state of the Jewish people, their natural place is on the 77% of Palestine handed over to them with Amman as its capital city.

Keep on dreaming, boy. The Pals won't manage one single week without firing rockets at Israel.

is what the Obama administration has in mind when it talks about two-states for two-peoples, an Arab and a Jewish state, we must all rejoice that even Mr. Obama has finally seen the light and perhaps now he could project it upon the Arabs, local and regional alike, for the sake of peace and good will among all humans.

What a farce. Abbas only represents Fatah and the area around Ramallah. Hamas and the Gaza area don't accept Abbas as their representative and have no part in the negotiations. Kerry is afraid to go to Gaza and has met Abbas mainly in Amman. There is no basis for peace talks.

Judea and Samaria have been Jewish land from time immemorial. the only time it wasn't under our control was when it was illegallyoccupied by jordan whe, along with the other neighbouring Arab countries, they attacked Israel and lost. Yet another delusioned Brit in soon to be sharia-controlled Britain.

well said and absolutely correct. Documented history for all those Israel-bashers who would care to read the truth instead of buying into Palestinian lies and fiction. Judea and Samaria are Jewish, Israeli, always ahve been (except from 1948-67 when illegally occupied by Jordan) and should be absoluely non-negotiable. And I wonder how long it will be before Abbas will find some pretext to walk out of the talks.

Its a damn shame how grown folks deceive us and fool themselves but hey,,, they getting paid, we paying for it(our tax dollars) and maybe I'm the fool for reading this sh-t.

"two sovereign nations and as brothers and Neighbours." When have the arabs shown any real desire for peace? Ever read the Hamas, Hezbollah and PLO charters? What planet do you live on?

You and many others say the WB is purely arab land. This is pure bs. It was the land of the Sanhedrin. of David. It was taken by the arabs, from the Jews. Ever hear of the Muslim Conquest? Jesus was born years before the Muslim Conquest, and he was a Jew, You talk about history from a time convenient to your arguments, ignoring what came before. That is not history. I never believed people could be as blind and stupid as you guys. I was wrong. You’re too scared to read real history, so instead you spout mantras; a sure sign of fools.

Whenever pressure is applied, it means two things: 1) The recipient of the pressure is being pressured to do something bad for them. 2) Those applying the pressure KNOW it is wrong. That is why they are using pressure. Israel should NEVER submit to pressure. Churchill was subject to far more pressure than Israel (to make peace with Hitler) but he stood strong.

Congratulation , John Kerry , There is a light on the end of this Tunnel. Palästinians can show if they are reliable Partners.

in YOUR country has doubled during the last ten years, and in the next ten years, islam will be the leading religion of Great Britian. Now even if the only god you worship is the smug reflection of the bloated ego of the figure smiling at you in your mirror, aren't you at least a TINY bit concerned about that? Do you really think allowing the conception of the terrorist state of "palestine" will make YOUR children feel safer walking to school in Liverpool? Or make you feel safer taking the Tube on Friday night, after a dose of "kill the infidels" has been dished out by the local imam to his eager minions, and has them slathering and drooling to "happy slap" a naive infidel as yourself? Or shouldn't you really be worrying about what's happening in your own backyard, instead of passing judgement on a place and people that you have no part of, and are not a part of?

Good morning Muna, Be sure nothing will come out of this meeting, just KALAM FHADI, talk, talk & TALK .We all know how Arabs works. Give him a nail, he will ask the whole finger, give him the finger, he will ask all the hand, offer him the hand, then will ask all the body, after the body they will demand the moon to come down. No 67, 49 border not even stone. Palestinians are welcome to go to Europe or to the dessert in Arabia. Judeah for Jews, Arabs for Arabia.

The settlers are not going no where. They will stay in the land that belong to the Jews for thousands of year before Christianity and Islam were born. You David must be ignorant, or anti Jew, and Jew hater, read your bible the NEW TESTAMENT or still better the Quran, and ready history. Israel here to stay, and will always be the JEWISH STATE OF ISRAEL. Europe and the word can turn over. Negotiation will fail and you mark my word David. Have fun with Islam in Europe, and already blood started to flow in UK, as your MP the late Enogh Powell predicted ''RIVER OF BLOOD'' Shalom/Salaam/Good Bye

Divide & rule was created by your ancestors the British Empire. Do not forget all these problems between Jews & Arabs, as well as between Arabs against Arabs was created by your British Empire.