JERUSALEM
US Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Israel Thursday for more talks with Israelis and Palestinians in hopes of reaching a peace agreement between the two sides.
Kerry is due to meet with both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
According to Israeli daily Haaretz, Kerry will meet with Netanyahu twice – on Thursday night and Friday afternoon – before meeting with Abbas on Friday evening.
Kerry will later return to Israel to meet with Netanyahu on Saturday.
Washington's top diplomat is then expected to head to Jordan on Sunday.
A close aide to Abbas told Anadolu Agency earlier that the Palestinian leader was expected to discuss continued Israeli settlement building with Kerry, along with recent calls by the Israeli government to annex the Jordan Valley.
According to Israeli media, Kerry's visit prompted Tel Aviv to delay the announcement of fresh plans to build 1,400 Jewish settlement units in the occupied Palestinian territories.
Abbas was aware of the settlement reports and planned to raise the issue with Kerry, the aide said.
"He will not only raise the settlement issue, but will also discuss the Jordan Valley," the well-placed Palestinian source said, requesting anonymity.
The Palestinian government recently decided to hold its weekly Sunday meeting in the Jordan Valley in a show of defiance against Israeli calls for the valley's annexation.
On Sunday, an Israeli government committee voted in favor of proposed legislation drafted by Likud Party MK Miri Regev calling for the annexation of the valley, a large, fertile strip of land accounting for roughly one quarter of the occupied West Bank.
Around 50,000 Palestinians and 9,500 Jewish settlers currently reside in the history-rich Jordan Valley.
By Alaa Rimawi
