Secret peace talks between Israeli President Shimon Peres and Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority, took place in London, the JC can reveal.

The encounter was hosted over dinner by UK businessman Poju Zabludowicz at his north London home.

A secret meeting between Israeli President Shimon Peres and Mahmoud Abbas, the President of the Palestinian Authority, has taken place in London as part of a series of back-channel negotiations to reach a peace agreement in the Middle East, the JC can reveal.

The Israeli president has told a delegation of US congressman that he hoped "both sides" would return to Middle East peace talks within the next month.

Shimon Peres called for negotiations to resume "before September", when the Palestinians plan to unilaterally declare statehood at the United Nations.

Israel's Prime Minister has for the first time offered to accept a Palestinian state based along 1967 lines.

Benjamin Netanyahu's shift in direction comes three months after US president Barack Obama called for the same framework in a speech on the Middle East.

Shimon Peres is said to be conducting secret talks with Palestinian negotiators in a bid to restart the peace process.

According to Ha'aretz the Israeli president has coordinated with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the discussions.

Mr Peres was said to have met Saeb Erekat, chief Palestinian negotiator, in Ramallah earlier this week and on other occasions.

The members of the Middle East Quartet met on Monday for meetings on renewing peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, and a long dinner in Washington.

Despite the urgency of finding a way to restart negotiations before the United Nations General Assembly meeting in September, the Quartet failed to reach an agreed framework and did not release a joint statement following their

The Quartet on the Middle East failed to agree on a statement outlining the next step for the already fragile peace process.

Despite hours of discussions in Washington on Monday, by the end of the day they could not offer a unified position.

The mediators, from the UK, US, Russia and the EU, admitted that there was "more work" to be done before negotiations could resume.

Palestinian plans to bid for statehood at the United Nations in September are a distraction from the goal of peace negotiations, a US State Department official has said.