Kerry says progress made in peace talks

US Secretary of State John Kerry held talks with Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu about Israeli security concerns. Gali Tibbon / AP Photo

RAMALLAH // The US Secretary of State, John Kerry, said yesterday that progress had been made with the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and stressed Washington’s commitment to Israel’s security.

He met Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, in Jerusalem and said in a news conference that the discussions focused on Israeli concerns about Iran’s nuclear programme and security under any future accord with the Palestinians.

“We have always known that this is a difficult, complicated road and we understand that. I believe we are making some progress,” he said.

Mr Kerry said he had offered the Israeli premier “some thoughts about that particular security challenge” but he did not elaborate.

On Iran, Mr Kerry said core sanctions against the Iranians would not be softened as part of an agreement brokered last month between Washington, world powers and Tehran over curbing the latter’s nuclear programme.

“I can’t emphasise enough that Israel’s security in this negotiation is at the top of our agenda and the United States will do everything in its power to make certain that Iran’s nuclear programme, the programme’s weaponisation possibilities, is terminated,” he said.

Mr Kerry’s visit to the region has been partly billed as an attempt to assuage Mr Netanyahu’s concerns over the nuclear deal with Iran, which he accuses of wanting to build atomic weapons. Iran denies the charge.

The Israeli premier’s criticism of the deal has strained his relations with Washington and yesterday he repeated his warning that there must be firmer measures against Tehran.

“Steps must be taken to prevent a further erosion of sanctions,” Mr Netanyahu said.

During his meeting with the Israeli leader, Mr Kerry said he also broached US-proposed ideas for security arrangements with a future Palestinian state.

Mr Kerry has reportedly sought to address Israeli security concerns in an attempt to extract concession from Mr Netanyahu, who heads a hardline government, in peace talks with Palestinians that were restarted in July.

Palestinian officials have complained that little progress has been made during the talks, primarily because of Israel’s continued construction of settler homes.

Mr Kerry said his special adviser on the peace process, retired general John Allen, personally briefed the Israeli premier on security issues.

Although he provided few details, Mr Kerry said the briefing involved “assessing the potential threats to Israel, to the region, and ensuring that the security arrangements that we might contemplate in the context of this process, will provide for greater security for Israel”.

Mr Kerry also met the president of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, at his headquarters in the West Bank city of Ramallah yesterday. Mr Abbas, whose negotiating team tendered their resignations last month because of continued Israeli settlement construction, warned during an address on Monday that the “talks are going through great difficulties because of the obstacles created by Israel”.

* With additional reporting by Reuters and Agence France-Presse