Kerry to return to region in late June
Three-day visit includes meetings with Israeli, Palestinian and Jordanian officials in Jerusalem and Amman, State Department says
US Secretary of State John Kerry will return to the region in late June, his fifth trip since taking office, to launch a re-energized push for Israelis and Palestinians to hold peace talks.
Kerry will shuttle between Amman and Jerusalem between June 27 and June 29, holding meetings with Israeli, Palestinian and Jordanian officials, the US State Department said late Wednesday.
Kerry was supposed to visit the region in early June, but scratched the trip to participate in discussions in Washington over arming Syrian rebels.
The trip will be part of a 10-day swing through Asia and the Middle East. Before visiting Israel and Jordan, Kerry will hold discussions in Doha, Jeddah, and Kuwait city.
In Doha, he will meet with other foreign ministers to discuss “support to the Syrian opposition,” according to the State Department.
Kerry has visited the region four times since taking office in February, shuttling between leaders in Jerusalem, Ramallah and Amman in the hopes of pushing Israel and the Palestinians back to the negotiating table. Talks between the sides have been largely frozen since 2008.
The Palestinians demand a settlement building freeze before entering into talks, while Israel has called for negotiations without preconditions.