No sign of deal as Obama envoy leaves Mideast

JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Washington’s peace envoy ended a week of shuttle diplomacy in the Middle East yesterday with little yet to show for his efforts as Israel and the Palestinians dug in to opposing positions on Jewish settlements.

US President barrack Obama may yet host a summit next week with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas during the UN General Assembly in New York. But his envoy George Mitchell has more work to do before any substantive resumption of peace negotiations.

Each side blamed the other for failure, but pledged to keep talking. Neither is keen to refuse Obama’s invitation, but on both sides officials acknowledge that a photograph and handshake at the United Nations will not be enough to relaunch the peace process without substantial shifts in negotiating positions.

“Mitchell’s shuttle visit has ended without agreement,” said Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat after the former senator met Abbas in the West Bank city of Ramallah for talks that were sandwiched between meetings with Netanyahu in nearby Jerusalem.

In Washington, State Department spokesman Ian Kelly acknowledged the disappointing result.

“Of course we hoped to have an agreement. Of course we were hoping for some kind of breakthrough,” Kelly told reporters. “This is going to demand a lot of patience, and the US is ready to stay patient, stay engaged, and make all the efforts necessary to reach this goal.”

Netanyahu, in power since March at the head of a right-wing coalition skeptical of Palestinian intentions, is weathering the sourest spell in Israeli-US relations for a decade by defying the new US president’s demand that he curb the settlements.

Mitchell, a former senator credited with helping bring peace to Northern Ireland, maintained his usual silence on his work.