Defense Minister Ehud Barak and US Middle East envoy George Mitchell discussed ways to resume stalled peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians during a meeting at the Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv on Friday morning.
After the hour-long meeting, the two agreed to meet again in Washington next week.
Mitchell is hoping to announce the start of indirect “proximity” talks during his current three-day visit here.
Mitchell was due to meet separately with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday afternoon.
Anticipation of a breakthrough was high on Thursday night, despite Netanyahu’s reiterated refusal to halt construction in Jewish neighborhoods of east Jerusalem as the Palestinian Authority has been demanding.
Meanwhile, Barak’s office announced that the defense minister would fly to the US on Sunday for meetings with heads of the Obama administration.
The meetings are expected to focus on security issues, including attempts to resume peace talks, said a statement Friday.
As well as Mitchell, Barak is set to meet US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, National Security Adviser James Jones, Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Michael Mullen and intelligence chiefs.