President Barack Obama wants to “listen” on his visit to Israel, not push a particular peace plan, Secretary of State John Kerry said.
“We’re not going to go and sort of plunk a plan down and tell everybody what they have to do,” Kerry said Feb. 26 in Germany, Reuters reported.
Kerry is on his first foreign trip as secretary of state. He is scheduled to arrive in Israel with Obama on March 20.
Kerry said the president would decide how to proceed with peace efforts after his return from the region, which includes a stop in Jordan. The new secretary of state met last week with Palestinian officials to discuss Obama’s visit, as well as a possible continuation of the peace process.
Meanwhile, the Justice for Jonathan Pollard group has launched a new campaign asking Obama to free the jailed spy. More than 63,000 Israelis have signed the petition, which the group plans to present to the president during his March visit.
Pollard, a former Navy intelligence analyst, was convicted of espionage and sentenced to life imprisonment in 1985.
Israel and numerous American Jewish leaders have petitioned for his release, to no avail. — jta & ynetnews.com