Amid rocky Israel-US relations, White House envoy aims to renew peace talks
By APFriday, April 23, 2010
US envoy aims to renew Israeli-Palestinian talks
JERUSALEM — A White House envoy is visiting Israel to try to finally get Israelis and Palestinians talking again.
Former U.S. Senator George Mitchell is slated to meet Friday with Israeli leaders. He meets Palestinian leaders later in the day.
Mitchell’s most important meeting will be with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has had rocky relations with the Obama administration.
The administration has been waiting for Netanyahu to provide answers on how far he is willing to go in making gestures to the Palestinians.
Netanyahu has agreed to curb construction in Jewish settlements in the West Bank. But he has refused a U.S. demand to freeze building in east Jerusalem, which the Palestinians want for a future capital.
