Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman on Wednesday said Israel and the Palestinians need to start direct talks to keep the Mideast peace process alive.
Lieberman spoke ahead of talks with his Dutch counterpart Maxime Verhagen in The Hague.
The Palestinian Authority is insisting upon a freeze of West Bank settlement construction, and building in east Jerusalem, before peace talks can resume.
Verhagen said issues he will discuss with Lieberman during his brief visit include the humanitarian situation in Gaza, which he called worrying and extremely difficult.
Lieberman is scheduled to visit the Dutch Parliament later Wednesday and lawmaker Geert Wilders said he planned to meet Lieberman privately.
