(Los Angeles Times) Edmund Sanders - Wrapping up his first solo visit in a renewed Obama administration campaign to restart peace talks, Secretary of State John Kerry left Israel on Tuesday with few signs of progress and a vow to keep trying. After talks Monday and Tuesday with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Kerry expressed optimism, calling the discussions productive and constructive. "This effort is not just about getting the parties back into direct negotiations,'' Kerry said. "It's about getting everybody in the best position to succeed." Kerry said he was leaving Israel with "homework" and would return to the region to continue the process and the talks. "Doing it right is more important than doing it quickly,"' he said. Israeli and Palestinian officials say Kerry is expected to make monthly trips to the region. Prime Minister Netanyahu said Tuesday that "foremost in our minds [are] the questions of recognition and security." His government has insisted that Palestinians recognize Israel as a "Jewish state" and allow an Israeli military presence along the Jordan Valley.
2013-04-11 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive