Kerry plans to outline 'comprehensive vision' for peace, aides say
News of his planned remarks was confirmed shortly after the US voted to abstain from a resolution at the UN Security Council condemning Israel for its settlement activity.
By MICHAEL WILNERPM Benjamin Netanyahu and US Secretary of State John Kerry(photo credit: REUTERS)
WASHINGTON -- US Secretary of State John Kerry will outline his vision for how the Israeli-Palestinian peace process should proceed in a speech in the coming days, according to his aides.News of his planned remarks was confirmed shortly after the US voted to abstain from a resolution at the UN Security Council condemning Israel for its settlement activity."Secretary Kerry will be providing, informed by his enormous and tireless work, a comprehensive vision," Ben Rhodes, White House deputy national security advisor for strategic communications, told reporters. "We completely agree with the point that this conflict is about far more than settlements."A special envoy at the State Department for Middle East peace, Frank Lowenstein, offered more details."The Secretary has obviously put a great deal of time and effort over the course of the last four years to negotiations between the Israelis and the Palestinians, and then, since then, to really innumerable conversations, not only with the parties but also with key players in the region and other stakeholders around the world," Lowenstein said. "Out of that, I think he's got some ideas about where we go from here. And I know he looks forward to sharing them sometime in the days ahead."No date has been set for the speech.