ammonnews.net

Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - Palestinian and Israeli negotiators are set to meet on Wednesday in an attempt to extend peace talks beyond their April 29 deadline, the U.S. State Department said on Tuesday.

Both sides are determined to meet, despite Israeli anger at the killing of an off-duty Israeli policeman in the West Bank on Monday, which marked the eve of the Passover Jewish holiday.

The policeman’s wife and child were also wounded.

“They’re going to be meeting again tomorrow,” State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.

“The parties are working on determining if there's a path to extend the negotiations for a period of months past April 29,” she added.

The peace talks seemed close to collapse earlier in April, when the Israeli side refused to carry out a promised release of Palestinian prisoners. Israel reneged on the release unless it received an assurance that the Palestinian authority would continue the talks beyond the deadline.

In return, the Palestinians signed on to 15 international conventions, including the Geneva Conventions on the conduct of war and occupations, a defiant move that also impeded the talks and surprised the U.S.

U.S. Secretary John Kerry revived the peace talks last July, after a hiatus lasting about three years.

Borders, security, the fate of the Palestinian refugees and the future of Jerusalem, the city which both sides claim is their capital, are the main issues that need resolving during the talks.

*Agencies