U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is in Israel to try to push forward peace talks with the Palestinians that both sides say have made little progress halfway through a planned nine-month timeline.
Kerry is due to meet Thursday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah.
U.S. officials say Kerry and advisor John Allen, who used to command American forces in Afghanistan, will focus on Israeli security issues in their talks with Mr. Netanyahu.
The State Department says Kerry will discuss so-called "final status" issues with Mr. Abbas. Israeli and Palestinian negotiators have yet to agree on things like the borders for an envisioned two-state solution or the status of Jerusalem.
Palestinians want East Jerusalem as their capital, along with the territory in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
The two sides relaunched the U.S.-brokered talks in late July.
Kerry is due to meet Thursday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah.
U.S. officials say Kerry and advisor John Allen, who used to command American forces in Afghanistan, will focus on Israeli security issues in their talks with Mr. Netanyahu.
The State Department says Kerry will discuss so-called "final status" issues with Mr. Abbas. Israeli and Palestinian negotiators have yet to agree on things like the borders for an envisioned two-state solution or the status of Jerusalem.
Palestinians want East Jerusalem as their capital, along with the territory in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
The two sides relaunched the U.S.-brokered talks in late July.