WASHINGTON (JTA) — Israeli and Palestinian negotiators launched peace talks at a Ramadan break-fast dinner at the U.S. State Department.
Attending the Iftar dinner Monday evening were John Kerry, the U.S. secretary of state; Martin Indyk, the newly appointed top U.S. Middle East peace negotiator; Tzipi Livni, the Israeli justice minister; Yitzhak Molcho, a longtime adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu; Saeb Erekat, the top Palestinian negotiator; and Mohammed Shtayyeh, a Palestinian economist.
The talks, which are to continue Tuesday morning, are the first since late 2010 and come after intense lobbying of the Israelis and Palestinians by Kerry.