**The US envoy to the Middle East has arrived in Israel where he hopes to finalise an initial meeting between Palestinian and Israeli leaders.**George Mitchell’s visit coincides with meetings between Israel’s prime minister and Egypt’s leader on Sunday.
The US hopes the Palestinians and Israelis can meet on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly this month.
The key stumbling block remains Israel’s expansion of Jewish settlements in the West Bank.
US criticism
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is making his second visit to Cairo since May.
He will meet Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak later on Sunday.
In Jerusalem, Mr Mitchell is due to meet Israeli President Shimon Peres, who has left hospital a day after fainting on stage.
But the Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas insists he will not meet his Israeli counterparts until there is a freeze on new settlements in the West Bank.
Last week Israel said it had given permission for hundreds of new homes.
The move, by Mr Netanyahu, prompted Mr Abbas to say that there was no point attending a summit with him.
Israel has indicated that it will be willing to consider a temporary halt to granting permissions for further construction.
The settlement of occupied territory is illegal under international law and the latest Israeli move drew criticism from the White House.
President Barack Obama has previously said he wants all settlement activity to stop.
The BBC’s Tim Franks, in Jerusalem says that Mr Mitchell will be seeking to square these competing positions ahead of the planned talks on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meeting in New York.