Chicago – Ma’an – US envoy George Mitchell formally announced on Monday that both Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization have agreed to begin indirect peace negotiations.

"I’m pleased that the Israeli and Palestinian leadership have accepted indirect talks," he in a statement.

"We've begun to discuss the structure and scope of these talks and I will return to the region next week to continue our discussions," he also said. "As we've said many times, we hope that these will lead to direct negotiations as soon as possible."

Earlier on Monday, Mitchell discussed his proposal with President Mahmoud Abbas in the the presidential compound in Ramallah.

The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) leadership voted on Sunday to accept a US proposal for indirect talks mediated by Mitchell with Israel. Mitchell arrived in Israel on Saturday night and held talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in West Jerusalem on Sunday.

PLO chief negotiator Saeb Erekat said the meeting with Mitchell did not constitute the beginning of proposed “proximity talks” and that it was “premature” to speak of negotiations. He also said the discussion was “good and constructive.”

Erekat struck a sober tone speaking to reporters after the meeting, calling attention to Israel’s announcement of plans for 112 new housing units in the West Bank settlement of Beitar Illit “despite the great deception called the settlement freeze.” He said this point topped the agenda of the meeting.

He was referring to Israel’s 10-month ban on construction in certain West Bank settlements.

“If every visit will include the announcement of more settlements, unilateral actions, the imposition of facts on the ground, the continuation of assassinations and arrests, the imposition of siege on the ground, it places a question mark on all of our efforts,” Erekat was quoted as saying by the PA news agency WAFA.

Erekat also revealed that Abbas received a letter from US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton answering questions about the timeline and the conditions of the proposed peace talks, and what the US will to if Israel refuses to withdraw to its pre-1967 borders.

US vice pledges support to Israel

Also on Monday US Vice President Joe Biden began a four-day visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories by pledging to back Israel in its standoff with Iran.

"Though I cannot answer the hypothetical questions you raised about Iran, I can promise the Israeli people that we will confront, as allies, any security challenge it will face. A nuclear-armed Iran would constitute a threat not only to Israel -- it would also constitute a threat to the United States," Biden told the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth, as quoted by Reuters, before departing on his visit.

The US, Biden said, "gives Israel annual military aid worth $3 billion. We revived defense consultations between the two countries, doubled our efforts to ensure Israel preserves its qualitative military edge in the region, expanded our joint exercises and cooperation on missile-defense systems."

According to news reports Biden is not expected to participate in any indirect negotiations between Israel and the PLO.

In his interview with Yedioth, he said the US tried to promote relations between Israel and Muslim countries, and also reiterated US comments on Israel’s partial settlement freeze.

After initially siding with the Palestinians in calling for a total settlement freeze, the US softened its position last year, ultimately embracing the 20-month partial freeze, which does not affect settlements around Jerusalem or construction that was already underway when the policy was announced.

"We certainly believe that when the United States effectively builds bridges with Muslim communities, this allows us to promote our interests, including interests that Israel benefits from," Biden told Yedioth.

"The construction freeze was a unilateral decision by the Israeli government, and it is not part of an agreement with the American administration or with the Palestinians," he said.

"It is not everything that we wanted, but it is an important action that has significant impact on the ground."

Biden was slated to meet Netanyahu on Monday, and with Palestinian leaders in Ramallah on Wednesday.