Israeli Yedioth Aharonoth has reported that the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank presented four main requests to U.S. Secretary of State. John Kerry, to present to Israel for approval before direct peace talks between Ramallah and Tel Aviv can resume. The paper said that President Mahmoud Abbas asked Kerry to inform Israel that the P.A. wants an airport for light planes and helicopters, near the central West Bank city of Ramallah, and significantly large tourism projects totally run by the Palestinians near the Dead Sea.
Granting the Palestinians access Dead Sea means that Israel will be required to reassign control of lands in area C, under full Israeli control, to become area B under Israeli military control and Palestinian civil control.
The Palestinians are not allowed to build in Area C in the occupied West Bank, and require prior Israeli military and civil approval.
The third demand presented to Kerry is allowing the Palestinians to search for Natural Gas, in Palestinian territorial waters, in front of the shores of the Gaza Strip.
The fourth demand is increasing the number of work permits in Israel to residents of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
The Ynet stated that Israel will likely reject the Palestinian demands, especially the request to build the light airport near Ramallah, and the tourism project near the Dead Sea as Israel rejects reassigning control in the Jordan Valley and Dead Sea.
The United States is trying to ensure the resumption of direct peace talks between Ramallah and Tel Aviv, is also evaluating the security situation in the region, and trying to find a solution to monetary and economic aid to the P.A.
Israel reportedly agreed to release detainees held since before the First Oslo Agreement of 1993. The release would be carried out on different stages, and allegedly accepted economic incentives presented by the United States to the Palestinians.
Talking on condition of anonymity, a senior Palestinian official stated that Kerry wants to declare the resumption of direct talks before he leaves the region this Friday.
