Israel’s Defence Minister, Ehud Barak, has said he expects a new peace proposal from the US administration to arrive in the next few weeks, which he believes Israel should accept.

Mr Barak announced his intention of accepting the proposal at a meeting of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee.

A spokesman for Mr Barak quoted him as saying: “In the coming weeks, their plan will be formulated and presented to the parties. I believe that Israel must take the lead in accepting the plan."
He added: "I hope that in the coming months we will see negotiations launched on all fronts as result of a regional peace initiative by President Obama, with the Palestinian issue at its core."

Mr Barak has been holding talks with US Middle East envoy George Mitchell over Mr Obama’s demand for a settlement freeze, a demand which has drawn harsh criticism in Israel.

US State Department spokesman P J Crowley confirmed that a roadmap for peace would be presented to the Israeli government and said: "I think it will be in a matter of weeks."