WASHINGTON: Israeli officials met US envoy George Mitchell to discuss the two sides' "commitment to comprehensive peace" in the Middle East, a State Department official said.

But the US official did not mention whether the group discussed the future of Jewish settlements in the West Bank.

President Barack Obama's administration, backed by European nations, has pushed Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu for a complete halt to settlements, to pave the way for a resumption of peace talks suspended late last year.

"Senator Mitchell had a good meeting with the prime minister's envoy and the Defense Ministry chief of staff (Michael Herzog)," State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said in a brief statement, describing the meeting as a follow-up to Mitchell's talks with Netanyahu last week in London.

"Senator Mitchell and the Israeli delegation reaffirmed their commitment to comprehensive peace, and concrete steps by all parties toward that goal. We look forward to continuing the discussion when Senator Mitchell returns to the region late next week," Kelly added.

An Israeli diplomat earlier told AFP that the talks were being held as the two sides move toward an understanding on settlements.

The Israeli diplomat said on the condition of anonymity ahead of the talks that "there's a very good will on both sides to reach an encompassing understanding" on the settlements issue, and that the sides were trying to work out the "length, scope, exit strategy, (and) what happens after such a freeze, should it be agreed upon."

The diplomat said the United States is also trying to get the Palestinians and Arab states to offer something in a bid to revive Israeli-Palestinian negotiations that stalled at the end of the administration of George W. Bush.

Washington has called for Arab states to take steps toward normalizing ties with Israel.