Kerry appeals after Israel cancels prisoner release

US Secretary of State John Kerry has spoken on phone with Israeli and Palestinian leaders in an effort to salvage peace talks.

This has faltered over the release of prisoners and Palestinian moves for international recognition, Israeli media reported on Friday.

Israel’s chief negotiator, Tzipi Livni, said on Thursday that Israel had cancelled the planned release of 26 Palestinian prisoners, the fourth such release.

Livni said the prisoner release could only take place if Palestinians refrained from any unilateral moves.

“New conditions were established, Israel cannot release the fourth batch of prisoners,” Ynet news reported.

The prisoner release was set for the weekend, but did not happen after Israel said it saw no reason to free the prisoners if the Palestinians refused to extend the negotiations beyond their April 29 deadline.

The formal cancellation of the release came a day after the Palestinian Authority submitted requests to join 15 international conventions.

Kerry spoke to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after the Israeli announcement in an attempt to diffuse the crisis, Israeli newspapers reported.

In earlier remarks during a visit to Algeria, Kerry said that he could only encourage talks up to a point.

“You can facilitate, you can push, you can nudge, but the parties themselves have to make fundamental decisions and compromises,” he said.

“The leaders have to lead,” he added.