TEL AVIV, Israel — Vice President Joe Biden left Jerusalem on Thursday with a final plea for Israeli and Palestinian leaders to begin peace talks without delay, but Mideast officials acknowledged that the atmosphere for talks was “shaky and uncertain.”
It has been less than a week since U.S. special envoy George Mitchell arranged for the indirect talks after a year of efforts, and Biden traveled to the region to bolster support. His trip was undercut, however, by Israel’s decision Tuesday to announce a plan for 1,600 Jewish settler homes in disputed east Jerusalem.
Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat announced he wouldn’t proceed with the U.S. initiative unless Israel revoked its plan.
The U.S. hasn’t officially responded, but a senior member of Mitchell’s team said “frantic” interventions were proceeding behind the scene to ensure that the Palestinians proceed with the talks.
“The resumption of talks has been at the top of the agenda for the Obama administration since he took office. We have devoted countless man-hours to this, and we are not willing to let it fall to pieces now,” said the official, who spoke only on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.
Biden didn’t address the latest developments in his address to the Israeli public Thursday. While he urged Israel not to miss the opportunity for peace, he repeated his harsh criticism of the ill-timed housing announcement.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement regretting the timing of the housing announcement, though not its substance.
