US Secretary of State John Kerry, is making a preliminary stop in Jerusalem and Ramallah to reignite a process of “negotiations” amid the outrage of the Palestinian people concerning the death and martyrdom of Maysara Abu Hamdieh, who died of cancer in an Israeli prison.

Mahmoud Abbas recently stated, “It seems that Israel wants to spark chaos in the Palestinian territories.” Furthermore, his official spokesman, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, added, “This escalation proves the Israeli government only looks at reality through brute power, settlement activity, and Judaization.”

Settlements are an expression of conquest — not just occupation. However, Mark Regev, a spokesman for the Israeli prime minister, replied that such comments, as well as previous ones asserting that Israeli negligence was to blame for the 64-year-old prisoner’s death, threatened the “serious efforts under way” since President Barack Obama’s visit here last month to restart the peace process. He claims that the only way there can be peace is through peace and reconciliation with Israel — as if “negotiations” since the Oslo Accords in 1993 have proven beyond any reasonable doubt that Israel never acknowledged or recognized that its status in the Palestinian territories is one of an occupier. Unless this is clearly defined, and Israel recognizes that it is an occupying power, then the starting point for serious negotiations will not occur. Any resumption of discussions would be futile and there will not be any clear map of Palestine given that the “roadmap” was a road without a map.

It is suggested that Kerry visit east Jerusalem as a signal to Israel that the US recognizes it as the capital of a future Palestinian state. That gesture would hopefully defuse part of the growing anger that permeates the Palestinian population at this moment.