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The Israeli interior minister says a settlement in the strategic Jordan Valley must not be given to Palestinians.

Gideon Saar said the settlement along the Jordanian border must belong to Israel forever. The area is a main focus of a new round of talks between the Palestinian Authority and Israel. This, as US Secretary of State John Kerry has arrived in Israel to mediate the so-called peace negotiations. The top US diplomat had given both sides a nine-month deadline to reach a deal, but they\'re now four months into the deadline, with little progress. Meanwhile, people of the Gaza city have held a rally against the resumption of the direct talks. The Palestinians have slammed Tel Aviv\'s settlement constructions as one of the main obstacles to peace.