Israeli defense minister warns 'big gaps' in peace talks may doom target

Israel's defense minister said Tuesday that wide gaps remain in peace talks with the Palestinians after U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry's latest visit, casting doubt over the chances of reaching a final accord by an April target.

Negotiations on Palestinian statehood resumed in July after a three-year halt, with a nine-month target set for a permanent peace agreement, amid deep skepticism a deal could be achieved to end the decades-old conflict.

"We are attempting to achieve a framework for a continuation of negotiations for a period exceeding the nine months in which some thought that we would be able to reach a permanent agreement," Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon told reporters.

"It is clear there are big gaps — they are not new — but it is definitely in our interest to continue the talks," he said in broadcast remarks, without defining the differences.

The United States is trying to broker a "framework" of general guidelines — addressing core issues such as borders, security, the future of Palestinian refugees and the status of Jerusalem —  with details to be filled in later.

Before wrapping up his tenth visit to the region on Monday since becoming Secretary of State last January, Kerry said the two sides were making progress but there was still a chance no accord would be reached.

Dan Shapiro, the U.S. ambassador to Israel, said Tuesday that Kerry would return soon to continue his talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders.

"We will take into account the suggestions, the requests and wishes of the parties and I hope and we will work so that in a few weeks, or perhaps a month - I don't know how long - we will be ready to present a proposal for a framework on all the core issues," Shapiro said.

A senior Palestinian official said the Palestinian side was seeking a written framework agreement.

"We want it to address concrete issues, such as saying the Palestinian capital will be 'East Jerusalem', not just 'in Jerusalem'," the official said.

Palestinians led by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas seek to establish a state in the occupied West Bank and in the Gaza Strip, with East Jerusalem as its capital. But Hamas, who retains control of the Gaza Strip, opposes Abbas and talks under the current parameters.

Meanwhile in his remarks, Yaalon signaled that Israel was looking for a less rigid "framework" deal than Palestinians were seeking, in an apparent nod to concerns any formal agreement now could stoke opposition from hardline members of the Israeli government.

"We are not dealing with a framework agreement, but with a framework for the continuation of negotiations for a more lengthy period," Yaalon said.

Shapiro said that Kerry has sat for "many, many hours" with Israeli and Palestinian leaders and has heard from them things that "perhaps nobody else has heard".

"Even though they have already taken brave decisions, he estimates they both have the ability to take more hard decisions with the support of their respective peoples," Shapiro said.

Reuters