Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry. Photo: GPO.

JNS.org – Secretary of State John Kerry traveled to Israel in an effort to prevent the collapse of the U.S.-brokered Israel-Palestinian conflict negotiations.

After the fourth stage of Israel’s release of Palestinian terrorist prisoners was delayed Saturday, chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said Sunday that if Israel does not release the 26 prisoners set to go free in that stage, the Palestinians will not discuss extending the negotiations beyond their initial April 29 deadline for a resolution.

“Secretary Kerry will land in Tel Aviv with possible meetings in Jerusalem and Ramallah over the next day,” the State Department said in a statement Monday.

A Palestinian Authority source told Israel Hayom that real progress has begun in U.S.-mediated talks on the fourth stage of the prisoner release, and that the 26 prisoners will likely be freed before the end of this week.