Obama's 'big breakthrough' coming by end of year

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry

TEL AVIV – The Palestinian Authority received a pledge from the U.S. that by the end of 2014, the Obama administration will issue an official written declaration presenting general highlights of a future Palestinian state, a senior Palestinian negotiator told WND.

The negotiator further said the goal is to have the general framework for a deal ironed out by April.

The current framework for an Israeli-Palestinian agreement being brokered by Secretary of State John Kerry calls for the phased implementation of more Palestinian sovereignty within three to five years, the negotiator said.

As part of the written declaration, the U.S. is set to officially recognize Palestinian rights in eastern sections of Jerusalem, without defining the exact territories that would be eventually handed to the PA.

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The U.S. will declare on paper that the Jordan Valley territory is “occupied” by Israel and that Palestinians have rights there, the negotiator said.

Kerry is currently discussing a proposal in which Israel would lease some of the Jordan Valley from the PA so some Israeli communities in the area can stay, said the negotiator.

The written framework will also declare the West Bank “occupied,” according to the negotiator.

Besides a declaration on paper, Kerry continues to broker specifics of a final-status deal, the negotiator said.

WND previously reported that Kerry is asking for the international community to administer the holy sites in the eastern section of Jerusalem, while details are still being discussed about whether Palestinians will have some symbolic presence in the area.

WND in December was first to report Kerry’s plan calling for an international administrative mandate to control holy sites in eastern Jerusalem.

The exact composition of the international mandate is up for discussion, but Kerry’s plan recommended a coalition that includes the Vatican and a group of Muslim countries such as Turkey and Saudi Arabia.

The international arrangement is being proposed as a temporary solution for about two to three years while security arrangements in Jerusalem between Israelis and Palestinians are finalized, said Israeli and Palestinian diplomatic sources.