**A new bid is to be made in Moscow shortly to find ways of restarting stalled peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians.**The international Quartet - made up of the US, EU, UN and Russia - will meet amid tension over Israel’s announcement of new settler homes in Jerusalem.
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu informed Washington of new confidence-building measures on the eve of the meeting.
Washington’s ties with Israel have been under strain over the settlements.
A rocket fired from the Gaza Strip on Thursday killed a Thai agricultural worker when it hit an Israeli kibbutz.
Israeli aircraft attacked up to six targets in Gaza overnight but there were no reports of any serious casualties.
The violence came as the EU’s new foreign policy chief, Baroness Ashton, visited Gaza - one of the highest-level visits there by a Western official since the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas took power.
Lady Ashton is to attend the talks in Moscow.
Significant conversation
No details were given of the conversation between Mr Netanyahu and US secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who is now in Moscow.
But their phone call is significant, the BBC’s Kim Ghattas reports from the Russian capital.
Enough progress was apparently made for George Mitchell, Washington’s Middle East envoy, to travel to the region this weekend after all. He had postponed a planned trip amid the settlement row.
In Moscow, US state department spokesperson PJ Crowley said Mrs Clinton and Mr Netanyahu had discussed specific actions that might be taken to improve the atmosphere.
It is likely this means a goodwill gesture by the Israelis, like the release of Palestinians prisoners, our correspondent says.
Mr Crowley added that Washington would now review the prime minister’s response and work with Israelis and Palestinian to keep the indirect negotiations, known as proximity talks, moving forward.
Washington wants those talks to focus on the core issues at the heart of the conflict, like borders and Jerusalem, our correspondent says.