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| Israel Calls Off Prisoner Release as Kerry Seeks to Keep Talks Alive | Israel Calls Off Prisoner Release as Kerry Seeks to Keep Talks Alive |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| ALGIERS — Israel has called off plans to release a fourth group of Palestinian prisoners, people involved in the threatened peace talks said Thursday, an indication of the severity of the impasse between the two sides despite the pressure from Secretary of State John Kerry to keep the negotiations alive. | ALGIERS — Israel has called off plans to release a fourth group of Palestinian prisoners, people involved in the threatened peace talks said Thursday, an indication of the severity of the impasse between the two sides despite the pressure from Secretary of State John Kerry to keep the negotiations alive. |
| The decision was described by the Israeli side as a response to the announcement on Tuesday by the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, that his administration was formally seeking to join 15 international bodies, which the Israelis regarded as an unacceptable move that would subvert the direct negotiations with Israel for Palestinian statehood. Mr. Abbas said he took the step as a response to to what he called Israel’s violation of an earlier pledge to release the prisoners as part of the negotiations process, which began last summer. | |
| According to people involved in the negotiations, Tzipi Livni, the Israeli government’s chief negotiator, informed her Palestinian counterparts of the decision to cancel the release of a last batch of long-serving Palestinian prisoners, many of them convicted of murder, during a meeting that lasted into the early morning hours of Thursday. | According to people involved in the negotiations, Tzipi Livni, the Israeli government’s chief negotiator, informed her Palestinian counterparts of the decision to cancel the release of a last batch of long-serving Palestinian prisoners, many of them convicted of murder, during a meeting that lasted into the early morning hours of Thursday. |
| The news, while not unexpected, was another blow to the entreaties by Mr. Kerry, who had canceled a trip on Wednesday to the West Bank to meet with Mr. Abbas after the formal submission of applications to join 15 international conventions and treaties. | The news, while not unexpected, was another blow to the entreaties by Mr. Kerry, who had canceled a trip on Wednesday to the West Bank to meet with Mr. Abbas after the formal submission of applications to join 15 international conventions and treaties. |
| Mr. Kerry, visiting Algiers on Thursday for a long-planned meeting on security issues, made his first public comment about the faltering Mideast peace negotiations since he canceled the meeting with Mr. Abbas, warning both the Israeli and Palestinian sides that they must “lead” if they wanted to preserve the chances for a historic agreement. | Mr. Kerry, visiting Algiers on Thursday for a long-planned meeting on security issues, made his first public comment about the faltering Mideast peace negotiations since he canceled the meeting with Mr. Abbas, warning both the Israeli and Palestinian sides that they must “lead” if they wanted to preserve the chances for a historic agreement. |
| Mr. Kerry signaled that he was prepared to continue his efforts to encourage the two sides to reach a deal. “The parties met even last night,” Mr. Kerry said, referring to the meeting between Israeli and Palestinian negotiators, which included American officials, in Jerusalem. “We will continue to, no matter what, to try to facilitate the capacity of people to be able to make peace.” | Mr. Kerry signaled that he was prepared to continue his efforts to encourage the two sides to reach a deal. “The parties met even last night,” Mr. Kerry said, referring to the meeting between Israeli and Palestinian negotiators, which included American officials, in Jerusalem. “We will continue to, no matter what, to try to facilitate the capacity of people to be able to make peace.” |
| But Mr. Kerry emphasized that it was Mr. Abbas and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel who shouldered the ultimate responsibility for salvaging the talks. “In the end, my friends, as all of you know, you can push, you can nudge, but the parties themselves have to make fundamental decisions and compromises, the leaders have to lead, and they have to be able to see a moment when it is there,” Mr. Kerry said. | But Mr. Kerry emphasized that it was Mr. Abbas and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel who shouldered the ultimate responsibility for salvaging the talks. “In the end, my friends, as all of you know, you can push, you can nudge, but the parties themselves have to make fundamental decisions and compromises, the leaders have to lead, and they have to be able to see a moment when it is there,” Mr. Kerry said. |
| “There is an old saying, you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink,” he added. “Now is the time to drink, and the leaders need to know that.” | “There is an old saying, you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink,” he added. “Now is the time to drink, and the leaders need to know that.” |
| At a news conference on Thursday, Mr. Kerry said he had been touch with the American team at the three-way talks in Jerusalem, which lasted until 4 a.m. on Thursday. | At a news conference on Thursday, Mr. Kerry said he had been touch with the American team at the three-way talks in Jerusalem, which lasted until 4 a.m. on Thursday. |
| He said progress had been made toward narrowing “some of the questions that have arisen as a result of the events of the last few days,” an allusion to the refusal by the Israelis to fulfill their promise to release the fourth group of prisoners and the Palestinians’ applications to join the international conventions. | He said progress had been made toward narrowing “some of the questions that have arisen as a result of the events of the last few days,” an allusion to the refusal by the Israelis to fulfill their promise to release the fourth group of prisoners and the Palestinians’ applications to join the international conventions. |
| “But there is still a gap, and that gap will have to be closed, and closed fairly soon,” Mr. Kerry said. “I think it is a critical moment, obviously.” | “But there is still a gap, and that gap will have to be closed, and closed fairly soon,” Mr. Kerry said. “I think it is a critical moment, obviously.” |
| He said he expected to be in touch with Mr. Netanyahu and Mr. Abbas later on Thursday. | He said he expected to be in touch with Mr. Netanyahu and Mr. Abbas later on Thursday. |
| Mr. Kerry appeared to preview some of the points he planned to make: that the pursuit of a peace accord that could put an end to decades of conflict between the Palestinians and the Israelis should not be thwarted by a dispute over steps that are needed to stay at the negotiating table. | Mr. Kerry appeared to preview some of the points he planned to make: that the pursuit of a peace accord that could put an end to decades of conflict between the Palestinians and the Israelis should not be thwarted by a dispute over steps that are needed to stay at the negotiating table. |
| “The fight right now, the disagreement between them, is not over the fundamental substance of a final status agreement,” he said. “It is over the process that would get you there and what you need to do in order to be able to continue to negotiate.” | “The fight right now, the disagreement between them, is not over the fundamental substance of a final status agreement,” he said. “It is over the process that would get you there and what you need to do in order to be able to continue to negotiate.” |
| Mr. Kerry said it would be a “tragedy” if the two sides were unable to discuss the issues at the core of the conflict because of a dispute over conditions to extend the talks. “A fight over process — how to get into a negotiation — should not stop you from getting into that negotiation,” he added. | Mr. Kerry said it would be a “tragedy” if the two sides were unable to discuss the issues at the core of the conflict because of a dispute over conditions to extend the talks. “A fight over process — how to get into a negotiation — should not stop you from getting into that negotiation,” he added. |
| The Maan News Agency quoted unidentified Palestinian officials on Thursday who described the nine-hour meeting in Jerusalem as a “fierce political battle” in which Saeb Erekat, the chief Palestinian negotiator, announced that he represented “the U.N.-recognized State of Palestine,” not the Palestinian Authority, “whose inputs and outputs are controlled by Israel.” | The Maan News Agency quoted unidentified Palestinian officials on Thursday who described the nine-hour meeting in Jerusalem as a “fierce political battle” in which Saeb Erekat, the chief Palestinian negotiator, announced that he represented “the U.N.-recognized State of Palestine,” not the Palestinian Authority, “whose inputs and outputs are controlled by Israel.” |
| Israeli negotiators responded with threats of “endless” sanctions on Palestinians, Maan reported, and Mr. Erekat made threats of his own about prosecuting Israelis as “war criminals” in international institutions, while Martin Indyk, the American envoy, struggled to control the “heated exchanges.” | Israeli negotiators responded with threats of “endless” sanctions on Palestinians, Maan reported, and Mr. Erekat made threats of his own about prosecuting Israelis as “war criminals” in international institutions, while Martin Indyk, the American envoy, struggled to control the “heated exchanges.” |
| Mr. Netanyahu’s office maintained an official silence through Wednesday, suggesting that Israel had no interest in inflaming the situation. But experts said there was likely to be some practical Israeli reaction, possibly including announcements of more settlement construction or the withholding of tax revenue that the Israelis collect on behalf of the Palestinian Authority. | Mr. Netanyahu’s office maintained an official silence through Wednesday, suggesting that Israel had no interest in inflaming the situation. But experts said there was likely to be some practical Israeli reaction, possibly including announcements of more settlement construction or the withholding of tax revenue that the Israelis collect on behalf of the Palestinian Authority. |
| Ms. Livni, the Israeli government’s negotiator, wrote on her Facebook page on Wednesday night that the latest Palestinian moves were “not encouraging” but that she was determined to keep the “difficult and complex” negotiations going. | Ms. Livni, the Israeli government’s negotiator, wrote on her Facebook page on Wednesday night that the latest Palestinian moves were “not encouraging” but that she was determined to keep the “difficult and complex” negotiations going. |
| Palestinian officials and analysts described Mr. Abbas’s push to join the international bodies as a calculated move meant to salvage credibility in the eyes of his jaded public, and not to derail the peace process. In a statement, the Palestine Liberation Organization’s negotiations department said, “The P.L.O. remains committed to this nine-month process, which ends on April 29.” | Palestinian officials and analysts described Mr. Abbas’s push to join the international bodies as a calculated move meant to salvage credibility in the eyes of his jaded public, and not to derail the peace process. In a statement, the Palestine Liberation Organization’s negotiations department said, “The P.L.O. remains committed to this nine-month process, which ends on April 29.” |
| That gives American mediators almost another month to try to seal an extension of talks that have so far yielded little progress, but have the stated goal of the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside Israel. | That gives American mediators almost another month to try to seal an extension of talks that have so far yielded little progress, but have the stated goal of the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside Israel. |
| For the Palestinians, the breakdown of the talks was precipitated by what they said was an Israeli violation of the commitment to release the fourth group of Palestinian prisoners by March 29. But Israel delayed the release while it sought a broader, American-brokered deal to extend the negotiations to early 2015. | For the Palestinians, the breakdown of the talks was precipitated by what they said was an Israeli violation of the commitment to release the fourth group of Palestinian prisoners by March 29. But Israel delayed the release while it sought a broader, American-brokered deal to extend the negotiations to early 2015. |
| Palestinian officials were further enraged on Tuesday, when the Israeli government reissued bids for the construction of more than 700 housing units in Gilo, an area of Jerusalem that Israel captured in the Arab-Israeli war of 1967 and that the Palestinians claim as part of a future state. The construction tenders were issued late last year and again in January, but they failed to attract any bids from developers. | Palestinian officials were further enraged on Tuesday, when the Israeli government reissued bids for the construction of more than 700 housing units in Gilo, an area of Jerusalem that Israel captured in the Arab-Israeli war of 1967 and that the Palestinians claim as part of a future state. The construction tenders were issued late last year and again in January, but they failed to attract any bids from developers. |
| On Tuesday evening a gathering of about 50 members of the Palestinian leadership voted unanimously to take immediate steps to join the 15 conventions and treaties, including the four Geneva Conventions of 1949, the Hague Convention Respecting the Laws and Customs of War on Land, and the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties. | On Tuesday evening a gathering of about 50 members of the Palestinian leadership voted unanimously to take immediate steps to join the 15 conventions and treaties, including the four Geneva Conventions of 1949, the Hague Convention Respecting the Laws and Customs of War on Land, and the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties. |
| Before the latest Palestinian move, Israeli officials had spoken of an emerging deal involving the imminent release by the United States of an American jailed for spying for Israel in the 1980s; the release of the fourth batch of prisoners and an additional 400 Palestinian prisoners who had not committed murder; and a slowdown in settlement activity in the West Bank — though not applying to areas of Jerusalem like Gilo. | Before the latest Palestinian move, Israeli officials had spoken of an emerging deal involving the imminent release by the United States of an American jailed for spying for Israel in the 1980s; the release of the fourth batch of prisoners and an additional 400 Palestinian prisoners who had not committed murder; and a slowdown in settlement activity in the West Bank — though not applying to areas of Jerusalem like Gilo. |
| Muhammad Shtayyeh, a senior aide to Mr. Abbas and a former member of the Palestinian negotiating team, said the stalling by Israel over the prisoner release had been “humiliating,” adding, “This is a matter of dignity for the Palestinian people.” | Muhammad Shtayyeh, a senior aide to Mr. Abbas and a former member of the Palestinian negotiating team, said the stalling by Israel over the prisoner release had been “humiliating,” adding, “This is a matter of dignity for the Palestinian people.” |
| Mr. Abbas has been under increasing internal pressure of late, even from within his own Fatah party, and has been criticized for engaging in an open feud with a onetime ally whom Mr. Abbas now sees as a rival, Muhammad Dahlan, a former Gaza strongman and Fatah security chief. With Gaza under the control of Hamas, the Islamic militant group, and Palestinian elections long overdue, many Palestinians also question Mr. Abbas’s legitimacy as a leader and decision-maker. | Mr. Abbas has been under increasing internal pressure of late, even from within his own Fatah party, and has been criticized for engaging in an open feud with a onetime ally whom Mr. Abbas now sees as a rival, Muhammad Dahlan, a former Gaza strongman and Fatah security chief. With Gaza under the control of Hamas, the Islamic militant group, and Palestinian elections long overdue, many Palestinians also question Mr. Abbas’s legitimacy as a leader and decision-maker. |
| “He has a lot of holes in his sack,” said Zakaria al-Qaq, a Palestinian expert in national security at Al-Quds University in East Jerusalem. | “He has a lot of holes in his sack,” said Zakaria al-Qaq, a Palestinian expert in national security at Al-Quds University in East Jerusalem. |
| Kamel Husseini, a Palestinian public relations consultant, said that the release of prisoners was the only thing that the peace process had delivered so far, and that after the delay, “Palestinian public opinion would not tolerate business as usual.” Mr. Abbas’s application to join the international conventions, he said, was “bold but not reckless.” | Kamel Husseini, a Palestinian public relations consultant, said that the release of prisoners was the only thing that the peace process had delivered so far, and that after the delay, “Palestinian public opinion would not tolerate business as usual.” Mr. Abbas’s application to join the international conventions, he said, was “bold but not reckless.” |
| Israeli experts and analysts agreed that the Palestinian move was calibrated to avoid a definitive breakdown of the peace process. | Israeli experts and analysts agreed that the Palestinian move was calibrated to avoid a definitive breakdown of the peace process. |
| Yossi Beilin, a former Israeli government minister and negotiator, described the latest events as “a side story.” | Yossi Beilin, a former Israeli government minister and negotiator, described the latest events as “a side story.” |
| “The Palestinians themselves are not foolish enough to believe that this is really a significant political step,” Mr. Beilin said. “It is also not a punishment for Israel. What are we going to pay for it or suffer for it? It is a very artificial game here. They will not gain and we will not lose.” | “The Palestinians themselves are not foolish enough to believe that this is really a significant political step,” Mr. Beilin said. “It is also not a punishment for Israel. What are we going to pay for it or suffer for it? It is a very artificial game here. They will not gain and we will not lose.” |
| With the gaps still wide, there is deep skepticism on both sides that the talks will result in a solution to the conflict, even with an extension. | With the gaps still wide, there is deep skepticism on both sides that the talks will result in a solution to the conflict, even with an extension. |
| “In the end of the day some formula will be adopted and the process will continue, although it has no chance to succeed,” said Giora Eiland, a former Israeli national security adviser now at the Institute for National Security Studies at Tel Aviv University. Neither side wants to be blamed for destroying a process that is “so dear and so important for John Kerry,” he said. | “In the end of the day some formula will be adopted and the process will continue, although it has no chance to succeed,” said Giora Eiland, a former Israeli national security adviser now at the Institute for National Security Studies at Tel Aviv University. Neither side wants to be blamed for destroying a process that is “so dear and so important for John Kerry,” he said. |
| Mr. Qaq, of Al-Quds University, said that if the prisoner issue could be unlocked, “we will be back to normalcy, meaning the usual stalemate.” | Mr. Qaq, of Al-Quds University, said that if the prisoner issue could be unlocked, “we will be back to normalcy, meaning the usual stalemate.” |