DEMOCRAT
A set of principles for Israeli-Palestinian peace being drafted by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is beginning to take shape as indicated by a number of recent leaks.
On Tuesday, a document showed that Kerry’s draft agreement describes Israel as “the state of the Jewish people.”
On Wednesday, a Jordanian MP revealed that Kerry’s outline contained “secret terms” that would prohibit Palestinian refugees who hold another country’s passport from claiming a right to return to what is now Israel.
Since the current round of peace talks began last July, a tight lid had been kept on negotiations until now.
The publicity transformation reflects the change in Kerry’s strategic goals.
Faced with failure in his ambitious aim of getting Israelis and Palestinians to agree on a framework for permanent peace within nine months,
Kerry opted to pursue a more modest goal of a set of principles the two sides could accept, albeit with reservations.
Kerry might well propose an international force that includes U.S. troops.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/leaked-details-show-modest-goals-for-kerrys-mideast-peace-plan/article16844793/