Israeli-Palestinian peace deal has never been closer, US Secretary of State says

US Secretary of State John Kerry has praised Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas for their courage in pursuing peace, the Jerusalem Post reports on Friday.

According to Secretary Kerry, peace has never been closer.

The US official said so prior to his departure from the region after a visit to Israel and Palestinian Authority-ruled areas, the newspaper informs.

"For now, let me just now reiterate how grateful I am for the courage that both Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Abbas both continue to display against naysayers, against opponents, as they pursue a full exploration of the possibilities of peace," Kerry is quoted as saying by the Jerusalem Post.