Israel Cancels Prisoner Release as Talks Hit Impasse
Israel said on Thursday that it would not go through with an already delayed release of Palestinian prisoners and was considering further sanctions against the Palestinians as the threat to the peace talks deepened further despite Secretary of State John Kerry’s concerted efforts to keep the process alive.
The talks have spiraled into an impasse as each side accuses the other of bad faith and places impediments in the way of a resolution.
The Israeli decision came after the Palestinian leadership formally applied for membership in 15 international conventions and treaties, a move Jerusalem deemed an unacceptable violation of the American-brokered terms for the talks that began in July.