David Makovsky joins Indyk's Middle East peace team

Veteran Middle East scholar David Makovsky has joined the team of US Middle East peace envoy Martin Indyk as a strategist and senior advisor.

Makovsky formally joined Indyk's team and started working at Foggy Bottom today, a State Department official told Al-Monitor Monday.

"Drawing upon decades of experience working and writing on Israeli-Palestinian issues, Makovsky will serve as a strategist for the US efforts and will be dealing with the wide range of issues associated with the negotiations," the State Department official said in a statement. "We believe this expertise will greatly contribute to the ongoing efforts to achieve peace.”

Indyk has been expanding his team as the US prepares to step up its role in trying to facilitate an Israeli-Palestinian final status peace agreement. Israeli media reported Monday that US Secretary of State John Kerry will travel again to Israel late next week.