Mideast peace talks to resume in Washington

CNN Wire Staff

[cnn-photo-caption image=http://www.cnn.com/video/us/2010/09/01/bts.obama.mideast.peace.cnn.640×360.jpg caption="President Obama urged Israelis and Palestinians to come up with a peaceful solution to the long-running Mideast conflict." width=300 height=169]

Washington (CNN) - Direct peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians will start Thursday as President Obama urged both sides to come up with a peaceful solution to the long-running Mideast conflict.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is set to play the main role in the talks by hosting a meeting Thursday at the State Department with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas.

The two sides will be relaunching talks that have been stalled for a year and a half.

On the eve of the talks, Obama held a working dinner with Abbas, Netanyahu, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Jordan's King Abdullah II.

"I am hopeful - cautiously hopeful, but hopeful - that we can achieve the goal that all four of these leaders articulated," Obama said before dinner.

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