Kerry signals ‘cautious optimism’ after talks with Netanyahu

US Secretary of State John Kerry on Thursday expressed a “cautious measure of optimism” following a four-hour meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about proposals that could help defuse the deadly wave of recent violence in Israel.

The meeting between the two in Berlin, Germany, was part of a flurry of diplomatic activity aimed at halting the violence, and came as another Israeli was wounded in a new knife attack Thursday.

Kerry, his voice hoarse after an overnight flight and the lengthy talks, told reporters that he planned to raise the proposals with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Jordan’s King Abdullah in meetings Saturday in Jordan’s capital, Amman.

“I come directly from several hours of conversation with Prime Minister Netanyahu and I would characterize that conversation as one that gave me a cautious measure of optimism that there may be some things that may be in the next couple of days put on the table which would have an impact — I hope,” Kerry said.

“I don’t want to be excessive in stating that, but I am cautiously encouraged.”

After meeting with Kerry, Netanyahu also sat down with the European Union’s foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini.

Before their talks, both Kerry and Netanyahu condemned the wave of Palestinian attacks on Israelis. Kerry urged an end to all incitement and violence. Netanyahu repeated earlier accusations that Abbas was to blame for the attacks, saying the Palestinian leader was “spreading lies” about Israel and the status of the Jerusalem holy site at the center of the tensions.

“There is no question this wave of attacks is driven directly by incitement, incitement by Hamas, incitement from the Islamist movement in Israel and incitement, I am sorry to say, from President Abbas and the Palestinian Authority,” Netanyahu told Kerry.

“I think it is time for the international community to say clearly to President Abbas to stop spreading lies about Israel,” he said. “Lies that Israel wants to change the status quo at the Temple Mount, lies that Israel wants to tear down the Al-Aqsa Mosque, lies that Israel is executing Palestinians. All of that is false.”

Netanyahu said Israel was committed to keeping the status quo at Jerusalem’s Temple Mount, which is holy to both Jews and Muslims and houses the Al-Aqsa Mosque. The site, captured by Israel from Jordan during the 1967 Six Day War, is a frequent flashpoint of violence.

The Palestinians accuse Israel of trying to change the status quo at the site, which currently allows Jews to visit but not to pray. They point to a growing number of Jewish visitors who seek an expanded Jewish presence and prayer rights at the site.

Kerry was more circumspect and did not single out Abbas for blame.

“We have to stop the incitement, we have to stop the violence,” Kerry said. He said he had spoken to Abbas and Abdullah, who is charged with overseeing the Jerusalem site, in the past day and both assured them of their commitment to calm.

“I believe people want this to deescalate,” he said.

Kerry added that his conversations with regional leaders would be “very important to settle on the steps that can be taken beyond the condemnation and beyond the rhetoric” to end the violence.

Kerry has said he sought clarity about the status quo on the Temple Mount, but officials say he doesn’t believe such a clarification needed to be committed to writing.

Mogherini, the EU foreign policy chief, said after her meeting with Netanyahu that the two had discussed steps to end the violence and improve the situation “on the ground.”

Discussed with @netanyahu steps to stop violence & improve things on the ground Tomorrow Quartet,26/10 meeting Abbas pic.twitter.com/aGOZZmp0Bp

— Federica Mogherini (@FedericaMog) October 22, 2015

Mogherini revealed that envoys from the United States, the EU, Russia and the United Nations were to meet Friday to try to bring an end to the month-long spate of violence.

She said that the grouping of Mideast mediators known as the Quartet would urge Israelis and Palestinians to calm the situation. She said the first aim would be to tamp down rhetoric coming from leaders on both sides.

She also said she was set to meet the Jordanian foreign minister in Vienna and planned to sit down with Abbas in Brussels “in the coming days.”