In Effort To Restart Talks, Senior U.S. Officials Arrive in Mideast

By Barak Ravid (Haaretz) December 20, 2010

Two senior Washington officials arrived in Israel on Sunday for talks in Ramallah and Jerusalem aimed at reviving the peace process.

Also on Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected claims that the stalled negotiations are the reason behind the delegitimization campaign that he says is being waged against Israel.

U.S. National Security Council Middle East Senior Director Dan Shapiro and David Hale, a deputy of U.S. Mideast envoy George Mitchell, are expected to meet with Netanyahu aides Isaac Molho, Ron Dermer and Uzi Arad in Jerusalem, and with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and other senior PA officials such as negotiating team leader Saeb Erakat.

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