Israeli and Palestinian negotiators met in Jerusalem on Wednesday, a day after Israel fulfilled its pledge and released the first 26 of more than a 100 Palestinian prisoners. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's special envoy Yitzhak Molcho, together with Justice Minister Tzipi Livni, represented Israel in the negotiations, with Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat heading the Palestinian delegation.
The two sides resumed official talks in Washington two weeks ago after a three-year hiatus. Thursday's talks, held under a veil of secrecy, came amid increased tension surrounding Israel's decision to issue tenders for more than 1,000 new housing units in Judea and Samaria and east Jerusalem.
Before the teams met, Livni wrote on her Facebook page: "Today, I will continue the important mission I began -- to achieve a peace agreement that will keep the country Jewish and democratic and provide security ... for Israel and its citizens."
Over the weekend, Netanyahu handed U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry a letter that accused Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and his associates of perpetrating incitement against Israel. The Palestinians have been just as critical of Israel, saying it was undermining negotiations by issuing the new housing tenders. "Israel will resort to feints and evasion and put up impossible demands to say that these negotiations are fruitless and to continue its policy of stealing land as it has done until now," said Yasser Abed Rabbo, a senior Palestinian official tasked by Abbas to comment on the talks.
Speaking to reporters in Brazil on Tuesday, Kerry said he had a "very frank and open, direct discussion" in a phone call with Netanyahu to discuss Israel's settlement policy.
Kerry has previously set a goal of nine months for an agreement to be reached.
Hours before Thursday's meeting, Israeli officials said there were still some outstanding procedural issues to iron out. But, they stressed, if a speedy resolution is reached on the those matters, the two sides might soon decide to tackle the core issues. On Thursday, Israeli cabinet minister Yaakov Peri (Yesh Atid) warned that a "long and exhausting trek" lay ahead.
"Both for the Palestinians and for us, time is running out. We will not have many more opportunities to resolve this dispute," Peri told Army Radio.
Deputy Defense Minister Danny Danon (Likud), known for his hawkish views, told Israel Radio on Wednesday that if Livni were to strike a deal like the one she and former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert offered the Palestinians in 2008, a majority within the Likud and the general public would oppose it. According to the Israeli media, Olmert and then-Foreign Minister Livni were willing to relinquish virtually all of Judea and Samaria, with the exception of settlement blocs, but a deal never materialized due to Olmert's resignation over corruption allegations.
U.S. Special Envoy for Israeli-Palestinian Negotiations Martin Indyk was not present in the meeting. Indyk, who arrived in Israel earlier this week to get a first-hand look at the fledgling talks, has already met the two sides separately and on Thursday he held a private meeting with Netanyahu.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was expected to arrive in Israel Thursday to express his support for the renewed talks. Ban will lay a wreath at the grave of former Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. He is expected to hold talks with President Shimon Peres, Netanyahu and Livni before departing for the Palestinian Authority.
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