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| Israel and Palestinians reach agreement to resume talks | Israel and Palestinians reach agreement to resume talks |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Israel and the Palestinians have reached an agreement which establishes the basis for resuming peace talks, US Secretary of State John Kerry has announced. | Israel and the Palestinians have reached an agreement which establishes the basis for resuming peace talks, US Secretary of State John Kerry has announced. |
| Mr Kerry is in Jordan, where he has been meeting with both sides. | Mr Kerry is in Jordan, where he has been meeting with both sides. |
| He gave no details of the agreement, but said both sides would hold initial talks in Washington next week. | He gave no details of the agreement, but said both sides would hold initial talks in Washington next week. |
| The last round of direct talks broke down two years ago over the issue of Israeli settlements. | The last round of direct talks broke down two years ago over the issue of Israeli settlements. |
| Mr Kerry told reporters in Amman that the parties had "reached an agreement that establishes a basis for resuming direct final status negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis." | Mr Kerry told reporters in Amman that the parties had "reached an agreement that establishes a basis for resuming direct final status negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis." |
| "This is a significant and welcome step forward," he said, but stressed that it was still "in the process of being formalised". | "This is a significant and welcome step forward," he said, but stressed that it was still "in the process of being formalised". |
| Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat and his Israeli counterpart Tzipi Livni will travel to Washington next week. | Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat and his Israeli counterpart Tzipi Livni will travel to Washington next week. |
| Mr Kerry said any details of the agreement which might be reported were "conjecture" and stressed that "the best way to give these negotiations a chance is to keep them private". | Mr Kerry said any details of the agreement which might be reported were "conjecture" and stressed that "the best way to give these negotiations a chance is to keep them private". |
| He also thanked the Arab League, which on Thursday gave its backing to his plan for resumed talks, saying this had made an "important difference". | He also thanked the Arab League, which on Thursday gave its backing to his plan for resumed talks, saying this had made an "important difference". |
| 'Time running out' | |
| The BBC's Kim Ghattas, travelling with Mr Kerry, says the agreement sounds fragile, and could yet be derailed before talks begin. | |
| But these will be the first direct talks since the negotiations broke off in 2010, she adds. | |
| In recent months, Mr Kerry has paid six visits to the Middle East in an effort to restart talks between Israel and the Palestinians. | |
| He has said that time is running out for a two-state solution to their decades-old conflict. | He has said that time is running out for a two-state solution to their decades-old conflict. |
| The issue of Jewish settlements in the West Bank remains one of the biggest stumbling blocks between the two sides. | |
| Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has said that Israel must freeze settlement-building before stalled peace talks can resume, while Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu has urged Mr Abbas to return to talks without preconditions. | |
| There was an angry reaction in Israel earlier this week when the European Union approved new guidelines which prevent Israeli projects in occupied territories from receiving European grants or prize money. | |
| Israel gave its final approval on Wednesday for the construction of more than 700 new settlement homes in Modiin Ilit, halfway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. |