John Kerry cancels trip to Israel at last minute

JERUSALEM, Jan. 13 (UPI) -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry called off his Monday visit to Israel at the last minute, Israeli broadcaster Arutz Sheva reported.

The cancellation is apparently in reaction to poor results in Kerry's attempt to broker an agreement between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, the broadcaster said.

The next stages of the diplomatic negotiations were expected to be finalized at Monday's meeting.

Currently, Israel hasn't responded to Kerry's suggested security arrangements in the Jordan Valley that would replace the presence of Israeli troops.

The Palestinian Authority objects to Israel's demand that Israel be recognized as the state of the Jewish people. It also refuses to give up on the so-called "right of return" for displaced Arabs and their descendants to Israel.