Amid continued tensions between Israel and Palestine, the United States' special envoy to the region is stepping down, having failed to re-establish talks between the factions.

Secretary of State John Kerry appointed Martin Indyk to the position last July. Indyk's mission was to re-establish talks between Israel and Palestine by this spring, following their previous collapse. Instead of talks, however, tensions have risen between the states due to kidnappings and increased belligerence.

Indyk, 62, has left his position for his previous role of vice president and foreign policy adviser at the Brookings Institute. According to USA Today, Kerry accepted Indyk's resignation and has appointed Indyk's deputy, Frank Lowenstein, as acting special envoy.

"Ambassador Indyk has invested decades of his extraordinary career to the mission of helping Israelis and Palestinians achieve a lasting peace," Kerry said. "The United States remains committed not just to the cause of peace, but to resuming the process when the parties find a path back to serious negotiations."

Al Jazeera correspondent Jane Ferguson reported in Palestine that Indyk's resignation came as no surprise. The State Department deadline had been set for the end of April, but negotiations had collapsed "well before then."

In the meantime, diplomats have been clamoring for another ambassador's resignation, that of Tony Blair.

According to The Independent, foreign ambassadors and diplomats wrote a letter criticizing Blair's recent actions regarding Iraq and accusing him of trying to absolve himself of responsibility for the country's political mire.

"We believe that Mr. Blair, as a vociferous advocate of the invasion, must accept a degree of responsibility for its consequences," the letter reads. Signatories include former London Mayor Ken Livingstone and former Ambassador to Iran Sir Richard Dalton. The letter was a response to an essay Blair wrote in which he said the Iraq War ought not to be blamed for the current situation.

The open letter was addressed to the U.N. secretary-general and foreign ministers from Russia, the U.S. and the EU.