By DEB RIECHMANN
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, left, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas talk before a meeting at the presidential compound in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Friday, Jan. 3, 2014. Kerry took the tenth trip to the region to negotiate a peace deal he claims is “not mission impossible.” (AP Photo/Brendan Smialowski, Pool)
RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is meeting for the second time in two days with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (mahk-MOOD’ ah-BAHS’), trying to nudge him and the Israeli leader closer to a peace pact that would establish a Palestinian state alongside Israel.
Kerry, who traveled to the West Bank on Saturday, is brokering an intense phase of negotiations aimed at getting the two sides to agree on a framework to guide talks for a final settlement in the decades-long dispute.
Reaching a deal on that framework, however, is not likely on this trip, Kerry’s 10th to the region for Mideast peace talks.
After his meeting with Abbas, Kerry heads back to Jerusalem for more talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
