Kerry 'hopeful' can strike final Mideast peace deal

US Secretary of State John Kerry said today he hoped to help achieve a peace deal that would encompass Israeli security needs and Palestinian sovereignty.
"We are working on an approach that both guarantees Israel's security and fully respects Palestinian sovereignty," he told reporters accompanying him in Tel Aviv at the end of a visit including meetings with both sides.
"We remain hopeful that we can achieve that final status agreement."
Kerry rejected speculation the sides would initially be led to an interim agreement.
"Our goal remains as it always has been - for the Israelis and Palestinians to reach a final status agreement - not an interim agreement, a final status agreement," he said.

"And both parties remain committed to fulfilling their obligations to stay at the table and negotiate hard during the nine-month period that we set for that" when talks were launched at the end of July, said the top US diplomat.

Asked whether that timetable could change, Kerry stressed "we're not talking at this point about any shifts".
His comments came after separate meetings Kerry had with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, before heading to Asia.
Kerry told reporters that US military expert General John Allen outlined in talks with Abbas a security plan for the West Bank and Israel, which could be implemented following a peace accord.

A Palestinian source told AFP earlier that Abbas had rejected US proposals for Israel to keep a military presence in a future Palestinian state.
Israel demands a Palestinian state would be demilitarised and the right to retain long-term military presence along the Jordan Valley, which would be the Palestinian state's eastern border with Jordan.
The Palestinians reject the possibility of Israeli military presence on their territory after a peace deal, but accept the notion of an international force.
Kerry also said that "the next tranche of the (release of Palestinian) prisoners is due to take place on the 29th of December, and it will take place then."

Israel committed to release 104 Palestinian prisoners as peace talks progress, in four groups over the nine-month period. It has already released 52 in two tranches.