美国官员说,以色列和巴勒斯坦将于9月初在华盛顿恢复直接和谈。

美国国务卿克林顿星期五宣布,和谈进程将从在白宫举行包括巴以双方领导人在内的会议开始。埃及总统穆巴拉克、约旦国王阿卜杜拉以及担任“中东四方”特别代表的英国前首相布莱尔,也将获邀参加这次会议。

预计克林顿国务卿届时将同以色列总理内塔尼亚胡和巴勒斯坦领导人阿巴斯举行会晤,开始有关的谈判。克林顿说,和谈可能在一年之内完成,目的是在以色列旁边成立一个巴勒斯坦国。

这次会谈将是巴以双方自2008年底以来的首次直接会谈。

U.S. officials say Israel and the Palestinians will resume direct peace talks in Washington in early September.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced Friday that the process will begin with a White House meeting with leaders of both sides. Egypt’s President Hosni Mubarak, Jordan’s King Abdullah will also be invited as will former British Prime Minister Tony Blair representing a “Quartet” of world powers (the US, Russia, the United Nations, and European Union).

Clinton is then expected to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas to begin the negotiations. Clinton says talks can be concluded within a year, with an aim to create a Palestinian state next to Israel.

The talks would mark the first direct negotiations between the two sides since late 2008.