From left: Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat , Secretary of State John Kerry, and Israel's Justice Minister Tzipi Livni at a news conference. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
U.S. Official: Syria, Egypt Turmoil Improves Chances Of Success In Peace Talks -- Haaretz/AP/Reuters
Fear of being engulfed by the chaos motivates Israelis and Palestinians to reach peace agreement, says senior U.S. state department official.
The turmoil in both Syria and Egypt is nudging Israelis and Palestinians toward peace, a United States official said on Friday, as Secretary of State John Kerry flew to Europe for talks on Middle East issues.
Kerry's three-day trip was originally intended to brief European and Arab diplomats on the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, but that objective is likely to be overshadowed by the ongoing crisis in Syria. The secretary of state is expected to lobby for support for President Barack Obama's proposed military strike against Syria while in Europe.
On Sunday, Kerry is scheduled to meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in London.
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My Comment: Regular readers of this blog know that I have always been skeptical of the Israeli - Palestinian peace process. Both sides want each others land .... and that has always been the heart of the conflict. And while the chaos in the Middle East may disturb them .... they are even more disturbed if they find themselves being viewed by their own citizens to be compromising and/or giving in to the other side.