BOSTON, July 29: John Kerry will try to re-energize the Middle East peace process but there is no question of weakening the tight US relationship with Israel if he is elected, his campaign said on Wednesday.

"John Kerry has been a very strong and stalwart friend of Israel for more than 20 years throughout his public service, and he will remain so," said Susan Rice, a newly hired policy adviser for the campaign.

"There is no question (about) that fundamental relationship. Israel is a vital and important ally of the US, and its security is fundamental to the security of the US," she told reporters.

But she said the veteran senator would actively seek Israeli-Palestinian peace. "The United States needs to get off the sidelines and go back to where we've been for more than 40 years, as an energetic, engaged player in the ME peace process," Ms Rice said. Susan Rice handled African issues at the State Department under former president Bill Clinton. -AFP