U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (right) meets with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on March 31, 2014.
CNN  — 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took a step back from the negotiating table Wednesday, ordering ministers to halt meetings with their Palestinian counterparts, a senior Israeli official told CNN on Wednesday.

Attempts by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry to put peace talks back on track unraveled in the past week.

Israel reneged on a scheduled release of Palestinian prisoners, and the Palestinians responded by signing on to join 15 international bodies, reversing their commitment not to seek international recognition as a state.

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