Former US Ambassador to Israel Martin Indyk (Photo: israelnationalnews.com)

(VOVworld) – Israel and Palestine have accepted former US Ambassador to Israel Martin Indyk as mediator in upcoming peace negotiations in Washington. Indyk is Vice President and Director for Foreign Policy at the Brookings Institution in Washington. He served as US ambassador to Israel and Assistant Secretary of State for Near East Affairs during the Bill Clinton administration. Public opinion shows doubt about the prospects of the resumption of peace negotiations between Israel and Palestine, and even opposes the plan. Iran on Sunday raised objections in the resumption of talks in which the US plays the role of mediator, saying that Israel will never withdraw from Arabian occupied land. The Muslim Hamas movement, which is now controlling the Gaza Strip, has declined to resume talks with Israel.