The details have not been finalized, but the sides appear close to resuming full-fledged negotiations after years of stalemate.

The trip comes after Palestinians balked at some of the conditions for returning to negotiations. The Mideast peace process has been a priority for John Kerry as secretary of state. This visit is his sixth to the region in as many months.

The term shuttle diplomacy may be over-used, especially in the pursuit of peace between Israelis and Palestinians. But that is exactly what Secretary of State John Kerry did on his latest visit to the Mideast. Kerry spent long, separate sessions with Palestinian and Israeli officials.