John Kerry In Israel For More Mideast Talks

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has arrived in Israel to broker Mideast peace talks that are entering a difficult phase aimed at reaching a two-state solution between the Israelis and Palestinians.

Kerry landed In Tel Aviv on Thursday and was making his way to Jerusalem for talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (neh-ten-YAH'-hoo). On Friday, he'll be in the West Bank to talk with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (mahk-MOOD' ah-BAHS').

Kerry is asking both leaders to make tough, highly charged political decisions that would yield the contours of an eventual peace treaty, creating a Palestinian state alongside Israel.

Negotiators from both sides have had some 20 rounds of talks since the summer and this is Kerry's 10th trip to the region to help craft a final peace accord.

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