US says Israel-Palestine set to resume long-stalled peace talks

Israel and Palestine will resume face-to-face peace talks on Monday in Washington, the State Department has said.

Secretary of State John Kerry's six months of frenetic shuttle diplomacy is being credited for the long-stalled peace talks to begin.

Agency spokeswoman Jen Psaki said both the countries had accepted invitations from Kerry to come to Washington to formally resume direct final status negotiations.

According to Fox News, Psaki said Kerry on Sunday called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Following the telephonic conversation, the leaders agreed the talks would 'serve as an opportunity to develop a procedural work plan for how the parties can proceed with the negotiations in the coming months,' the report said.

Justice Minister Tzipi Livni and Yitzhak Molcho will represent the Israelis and the Palestinians will be represented by Chief Negotiator Saeb Erekat and Mohammad Shtayyeh.