U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will return to the Middle East next week in another bid to revitalize peace hopes, officials said Monday. The trip, Kerry's fifth to Israel and the Palestinian territories since becoming the top U.S. diplomat, will come as the contours of a package are emerging to prod Israel and the Palestinians back into direct negotiations. According to officials, who spoke to the press under the condition of anonymity, Kerry will also visit the West Bank and Jordan. Kerry expressed confidence to reporters Monday that both sides were weighing the difficult choices ahead of them. He refused to outline his next steps or raise expectations of a breakthrough.
