Israeli minister rules out quick peace deal

Israel’s foreign minister today said there was no chance of reaching a final accord with the Palestinians any time soon, casting doubts over the latest effort to get peace talks moving again.

Peacemaking policy in Israel is decided by the prime minister’s office, and not the foreign ministry.

But Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman carries significant weight in Israeli decision-making, and his is a sentiment common among confidants of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

President Barack Obama brought Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas together in New York last month in an effort to jump-start talks that broke down months ago. So far, no breakthroughs have been announced.

Since the New York summit, US envoy George Mitchell met representatives of Mr Netanyahu and Mr Abbas in the United States, and returned to the region this week.