John Kerry offers Abbas incentives to negotiate

US Secretary of State John Kerry has offered President Mahmoud Abbas incentives to return to direct negotiations with Israel, Palestinian sources said. At a meeting in Ramallah last night, Kerry offered to release all Palestinian funds and to ensure Israel does not withhold Palestinian tax revenue in the future, Palestinian officials told (Ma’an) News Agency. Kerry also offered to extend the Palestinian Authority’s jurisdiction, particularly in Area C , the 60 percent of the West Bank under full Israeli control. Kerry also proposed allowing Palestinians to build more freely in Area C of the West Bank, the officials said. For his part, President Abbas said that Palestinians seek a return to direct talks, but that Israel must stop illegal settlement building and release Palestinian prisoners first, according to the officials.