State Department: US getting closer to an arrangement for resuming Israel-Palestinian talks

US says resumption of Mideast peace talks closer

WASHINGTON — The State Department says its Mideast peace envoy is getting closer to winning agreement by the Israelis and Palestinians to resume peace talks.

Department spokesman Ian Kelly told reporters Monday that scheduled talks Wednesday in London between peace envoy George Mitchell and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not necessarily produce a breakthrough.

But Kelly said the process of laying the groundwork for Israeli-Palestinian peace talks is moving closer to fruition. Pressed to explain what has moved the process forward, Kelly declined to offer any details.

A point of contention has been Israeli resistance to a U.S. demand that it freeze construction of Jewish settlements in the West Bank.