Washington: Israeli and Palestinian negotiators will resume peace talk in Jerusalem on August 14, the US State Department said on Thursday.
"Negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians will be resuming August 14 in Jerusalem and will be followed by a meeting in Jericho (in the West Bank)," State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki told a briefing.
The sides held their first peace negotiations in nearly three years in Washington on July 30 in US-mediated efforts to end the conflict of more than six decades.
Psaki said US envoys Martin Indyk and Frank Lowenstein will travel to the region to help facilitate the negotiations.
She signaled that no major breakthroughs were likely at the meeting, saying: "Secretary Kerry does not expect to make any announcements in the aftermath of this round of talks."
The announcement came as Israel said it had given preliminary approval for the construction of more than 800 new homes in Jewish settlements on occupied West Bank land, a move that would complicate peace negotiations.
Psaki said Washington had taken up the issue with the Israelis.
"The United States does not accept the legitimacy of continued settlement activity and opposes any efforts to legitimize settlement outpost," Psaki said.
"The Secretary has made clear that he believes both the negotiating teams are at the table in good faith and are committed to making progress," she added.
Kerry has said the sides have given themselves about nine months to try to reach an agreement.
The United States is seeking to broker an agreement on a two-state solution, in which Israel would exist peacefully alongside a new Palestinian state created in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, lands partly occupied by Israel since a 1967 war.
The latest direct talks collapsed in late 2010 over Israel's building of Jewish settlements in the West Bank.
"Negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians will be resuming August 14 in Jerusalem and will be followed by a meeting in Jericho (in the West Bank)," State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki told a briefing.
The sides held their first peace negotiations in nearly three years in Washington on July 30 in US-mediated efforts to end the conflict of more than six decades.
She signaled that no major breakthroughs were likely at the meeting, saying: "Secretary Kerry does not expect to make any announcements in the aftermath of this round of talks."
Advertisement
Psaki said Washington had taken up the issue with the Israelis.
Advertisement
"The Secretary has made clear that he believes both the negotiating teams are at the table in good faith and are committed to making progress," she added.
Advertisement
The United States is seeking to broker an agreement on a two-state solution, in which Israel would exist peacefully alongside a new Palestinian state created in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, lands partly occupied by Israel since a 1967 war.
Advertisement
© Thomson Reuters 2013
COMMENTS
Advertisement
Ex India Star Picks India XI For 1st T20I vs Sri Lanka, Leaves Out Recent 'Player Of The Series' 180,000 Gazans Displaced In 4 Days As Israeli Aggression Continues Israel Army Preparing For "Decisive Offensive" Against Hezbollah At Olympics Opening Ceremony, Drag Parody Of 'The Last Supper' Draws Flak Centre Fact-Checks Mamata Banerjee's Mic-Off Claim, She Hits Back Boyfriend Stabs 20-Year-Old To Death Near Mumbai, Dumps Body In Bushes: Cops 5 Children Among 8 Killed After Car Falls Into Gorge In J&K's Anantnag Rape accused, Missing For 5 Months, Arrested In J&K's Ramban: Police "Goa Would Have Collapsed Had The Congress Rule Continued": Kiren Rijiju Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.