Kerry Rushing Back to Israel This Week

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has pushed off a planned trip to the Far East and will return to Israel and the Palestinian Authority for more discussions, the State Dept. announced Monday.

He left last week after what all reports said was a failed mission to bridge gaps between PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, but he insisted that both sides are closer than ever to reaching an agreement. Abbas made it clear on Monday that he does not accept American proposals for security for Israel if there is a future Palestinian Authority country.

State Dept. spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters Monday that Kerry still is aiming for a final agreement and not an interim pact.