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- Written by Harriet Sherwood in Jerusalem Harriet Sherwood in Jerusalem
- Published: 18 April 2013 18 April 2013
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US secretary of state tells House foreign affairs committee that 'window for a two-state solution is shutting' after 'years of failure'
John Kerry, US secretary of state, testifies on Capitol Hill. 'They’re all worried about the timing,' he told the foreign affairs committee. Photograph: Carolyn Kaster/AP
The chance to create a Palestinian state alongside Israel will be lost within one to two years, the US secretary of state, John Kerry, has said following his third visit to the region as part of a mission to revive the defunct peace process.
The high-level acknowledgement that the prospects of a "two-state solution" to the 65-year conflict are rapidly diminishing came in evidence to the House of Representatives foreign affairs committee on Wednesday.
"I believe the window for a two-state solution is shutting," the secretary of state said. "I think we have some period of time – a year to year-and-a-half to two years, or it's over."
He added: "Everybody I talk to in the region and all of the supporters globally who care … want us to move forward on a peace effort. They're all worried about the timing here. So there's an urgency to this, in my mind, and I intend, on behalf of the president's instructions, to honour that urgency and see what we can do to move forward."
The two sides have not met for more than two-and-a-half years, and there have been no substantial peace talks since 2008. The Palestinians say that the continuing Israeli colonisation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem is a major impediment to the resumption of talks. Israel says the Palestinians must recognise it as a Jewish state before it is willing to talk about borders.
Kerry's efforts to break the logjam are expected to resume on the ground next month. The US is trying to navigate between deep scepticism among both Israelis and Palestinians, and the dangers of raising expectations of a breakthrough. "We're trying to undo years of failure. And I think one can. But it has got to go carefully, step by step," Kerry told the committee.
The Palestinians have agreed to refrain from pursuing goals at the United Nations and other international bodies for an eight-week period. However, despite confidence in Kerry's personal commitment, they expect no progress to be made by the 23 May deadline.
Chuck Hagel, US defence secretary, is due to arrive in Israel on Saturday as part of a week-long Middle East visit. Iran and Syria are expected to dominate talks, along with US funding of Israel's anti-missile defence units.