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Kerry hoping for peace effort progress after Israeli vote

In this photo taken Thursday, March 5, 2015, an election campaign billboard shifts between images of Isaac Herzog, leader of the Labor Party, right, and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and leader of the Likud Party, in Tel Aviv, Israel. As no candidate is likely to win big in the wild jumble of Israel's political landscape, the outcome of the March 17 election could well be a joint government between Netanyahu and his moderate challenger Isaac Herzog. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit) In this photo taken Thursday, March 5, 2015, an election campaign billboard shifts between images of Isaac Herzog, leader of the Labor Party, right, and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and leader of the Likud Party, in Tel Aviv, Israel. As no candidate is likely to win big in the wild jumble of Israel's political landscape, the outcome of the March 17 election could well be a joint government between Netanyahu and his moderate challenger Isaac Herzog. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

By Associated Press March 14, 2015 1 min read

SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt (AP) – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says he hopes Israel elects a government that can address the country’s domestic needs and also “meets the hope for peace.”

Kerry says the U.S. position for the past 50 years – among Democrats and Republicans alike – has been to support peace.

He says whatever decision Israeli voters make in the election Tuesday, he hopes there will be the chance to move forward on peace efforts afterward.

Kerry didn’t want to say more during his news conference Saturday in Egypt – so that no one might misinterpret him as somehow interfering in the election process.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (neh-ten-YAH’-hoo) is in a tight race with moderate challenger Isaac Herzog.