At the end of a dramatic day of diplomatic activity, US Secretary of State John Kerry cancelled a trip to the region after Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas applied for membership of 15 international bodies. Abbas’ actions threw into doubt a three-way deal over Palestinian prisoners and the extension of peace talks which had appeared near completion.

Israeli leaders had hoped for a Palestinian commitment to continue negotiations beyond their end of April deadline before releasing a fourth and final batch of Palestinian prisoners, which Israel agreed in order to allow the resumption of peace talks in July. However, the PA insists Israel must fulfil its commitment to free prisoners regardless.

The impasse seemed to be nearing a solution with widespread media reports that a three-way deal was almost complete. Israel had apparently agreed to release a further 400 Palestinian prisoners in addition to the final batch of detainees, including some Arab citizens of Israel. Israel also agreed to restrictions over West Bank settlement. Under the deal, the PA would agree to extend peace talks until the end of 2014 while the United States had apparently consented to release convicted Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard. Kerry was scheduled to visit Jerusalem and Ramallah to tie up the agreement today.

However, yesterday evening in a televised ceremony, Abbas signed 15 international conventions, in what he said was a response to Israel’s failure to release the final group of prisoners. Israel and the US both oppose PA unilateral action in international bodies as they fear such action will by-pass bilateral talks. Senior PA official Mohammed Shtayyeh toldReuters that one of the documents was the Geneva Convention while Kerry made clear that none related to United Nations bodies. Although Kerry quickly cancelled his planned trip today, he insisted that no conclusions should be drawn over the status of peace talks, commenting, “We are continuing even now as I am speaking, to be engaged with both parties to find the best way forward.”