JERUSALEM: Israel and the United States concluded talks in Washington on advancing peace with the Palestinians, without agreeing on one of the thorniest issues—Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories. The US delegation, led by President Donald Trump’s special representative Jason Greenblatt, reiterated the president’s “concerns regarding settlement activity,” a joint statement read of the four-day talks, which ended late Thursday. The Israelis “made clear that Israel’s intent going forward is to adopt a policy regarding settlement activity that takes these concerns into consideration,” the statement read. The Trump administration is looking for ways to revive peace efforts between Israel and the Palestinians. A “principal focus” of the talks was ways to alleviate the faltering Palestinian economy in Gaza and the West Bank, the statement read.

Source: Manila Times March 24, 2017 09:33 UTC