Secretary of State John Kerry says Israeli and Palestinian negotiators have agreed to meet again within two weeks to continue substantive negotiations on a so-far elusive peace deal. He said the sides had set a goal of a nine-month deadline for reaching a pact. Speaking as the two sides wrapped up an initial round of talks on Tuesday, Kerry said they were committed to "sustained, continuous and substantive negotiations on the core issues" that divided them. He said the next round of negotiations would take place in either Israel or the Palestinian territories. Kerry was flanked by the parties' lead negotiators who each spoke briefly about the need to resolve the long-standing conflict. Meanwhile, French President Francois Hollande will visit Israel and the Palestinian territories by the end of the year, the country's foreign minister said Tuesday, as a drive to reach a Middle East peace deal gathers pace. Speaking to reporters, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius welcomed the peace drive and said he would be going to Israel and to the Palestinian territories in early September. "The president will go at the end of the year," he added. Fabius said France was "pinning hope" on negotiations currently taking place between Israeli Justice Minister and chief negotiator Tzipi Livni and her Palestinian counterpart Saeb Erakat. "We know they will be extremely difficult," he said. He pointed to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's pledge to put a peace deal to a referendum, if one was reached. "An accord not only has to be reached but the (Israeli) people must accept it," he said. Source : Ahram
