US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says there is a growing awareness in Israel and among the Palestinians that their dispute can be resolved only through negotiations and will not be settled by Palestinian moves to seek recognition at the United Nations.
The Palestinians plan to seek full membership at the UN - a step sure to fail because the United States has threatened to veto it.
It's believed US and European Union officials, as well as former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, are trying to get the two sides back into talks to avert a showdown at the UN next week.
But Mrs Clinton declined to provide details on the success, or otherwise, of those efforts.
