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Itongadol.- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, trying to keep his Middle East peace initiative on track in the face of fresh controversy over Israeli settlements, said he had "frank and open" talks on the matter with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday.
In a telephone conversation with Netanyahu and Justice Minister Tzipi Livni, who is leading the Israeli negotiating team vis-a-vis the Palestinians, Kerry expressed U.S. concern over recent announcements of land being marketed for new settlement construction in the West Bank and Jerusalem.
Senior Israeli and American officials said that Kerry told the Israeli premier that some of the tenders being published contravened agreements between the sides to curb construction over the course of the nine-month negotiations period.
Kerry, who planned to speak later in the day with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, also said Tuesday he believed the Palestinian leader "is committed to continue" peace talks with Israel.
Israel in recent days has announced tenders for or advanced the planning process on about 3,100 housing units in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
At a press conference with Brazilian Foreign Minister Antonio Patriota, Kerry reiterated that the United States views the settlements as "illegitimate."
Kerry\’s remarks came just as Israel was preparing torelease 26 Palestinian prisoners jailed before the signing of the Oslo Accords, as part of a goodwill gesture to jumpstart the peace process.
Israeli and Palestinian negotiators were to resume their talks on Wednesday in Jerusalem. Some Palestinians have called for boycotting the negotiations.