WASHINGTON (AP) — With Mideast peace talks on the verge of collapse, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry declared Friday that “it’s reality check time” on whether an agreement can be reached anytime soon after decades of bitterness between Israeli and Palestinian leaders. The U.S. will re-evaluate its role as mediator, he said.

It was Kerry’s most pessimistic take yet on the peace effort after nearly nine months of frustrating talks with little progress to show.