Kerry seeks support for talks from US Jews

US Secretary of State John Kerry and other top U.S. officials met Thursday evening with a small group of Jewish community leaders to ask for their support for the so-called 'peace' talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

The talks are necessary for Israel, he argued, in part because Israel faces the threat of diplomatic isolation if it does not reach a peace deal with the PA.

He also brought up the "demographic threat" to Israel’s Jewish majority.

During his talk Kerry criticized the European Union’s recently-announced boycott of Israeli enterprises in the occupied Palestinian territories of West Bank, al-Quds and Golan Heights.

Using force and pressure will not help matters, Kerry said. Instead, he said, the international community can promote a diplomatic deal by dealing with Israel’s fears for its security under a peace deal.

Several other U.S. officials were present during the meeting, but did relatively little talking. Among those present were Special Envoy for Mideast Peace Martin Indyk and National Security Adviser Susan Rice.

Among the Jewish leaders present were leaders of the Conservative movement, the Orthodox Union, J Street, B’nai Brith International and the American Jewish Committee.

Some asked Kerry to push PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas to tone down his anti-Israel rhetoric, while others called to ask Abbas to recognize Israel as a 'Jewish state'.