The absence of peace becomes perpetual conflict."Washington (ANTARA News/AFP) - US Secretary of State John Kerry on Monday (June 3) issued a stark warning to Israel to resume long-stalled peace talks with the Palestinians, saying if efforts fail now they may never get another chance.
"We are running out of time. We`re running out of possibilities... If we do not succeed now, we may not get another chance," Kerry told a forum held by the American Jewish Community.
His warning came amid reports that he is planning to return to the Middle East region within days for his fifth trip to Israel since he launched his bid to kickstart the negotiations in early February.
"We can`t let the disappointments of the past hold the future prisoner. We can`t let the absence of peace become a self-fulfilling prophecy," the top US diplomat urged in one of his most passionate speeches to date on the elusive search for peace.
"The absence of peace becomes perpetual conflict," he stressed, urging the Jewish forum to reflect on what will happen if his peace bid does not work.
"We will find ourselves in a negative spiral of responses and counter-responses, that can literally slam the door on a two-state solution, having already agreed, I think, that there isn`t a one-state one," Kerry said.
"And the insidious campaign to de-legitimize Israel will only gain steam," he said, hinting that any refusal by Israel to come back to the negotiations could lead it to losing global friends as the Palestinians pursue their statehood bid through international bodies such as the United Nations.
The only way forward was to work towards a two-state solution, Kerry said, stressing that while the United States "will always have Israel`s back," it would be even better "if we had some more company."
"I assure you that a stable Palestinian state with assured borders and a flourishing economy will only strengthen Israel`s security and Israel`s future," he said.
"Resolving this conflict for both sides can have far-reaching benefits that will be in everybody`s interests. And the reverse is also true. Not resolving this will result in serious consequences for both."
And while he acknowledged that there was deep-rooted skepticism and even cynicism, he said everyone must seize the opportunity ahead.
"What makes this different from every other time? The difference is that what happens in the coming days will actually dictate what happens in the coming decades," Kerry warned.
(U.H-RN)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
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