Kerry Middle East speech set for Wednesday

Secretary of State John Kerry will give a speech Wednesday at the State Department to explain the Obama administration’s vision for the Israeli–Palestinian peace process, according to CNN.

The United Nations Security Council last week voted 14-0 to condemn Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The U.S. had the power to veto the resolution but abstained from using it.

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The decision drew criticism from U.S. lawmakers and heightened tensions between the U.S. and Israel, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu summoning U.S. Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro for a meeting. 

Obama’s deputy national security adviser for strategic communications, Ben Rhodes, previously said Kerry would give a speech to lay out the administration’s “comprehensive vision” on the conflict.

“I wouldn’t describe it as new initiatives, I think what Secretary Kerry will be doing is he will give a speech in which he lays out a comprehensive vision for how he sees the conflict being resolved,” Rhodes said.

The speech was originally scheduled for last Thursday, when the U.N. planned to vote on the resolution, according to CNN.