Saeb Erekat, the top negotiator for the Palestinian Authority, and Yaakov Amidror, the Israeli national security adviser, are visiting Washington.

Erekat will meet this week with David Hale, the top U.S. official handling Middle East peace talks, the State Department said in a statement Wednesday.

Israeli officials confirmed that Amidror also is in Washington, but would not identify with whom he is meeting.

The meetings comes ahead of President Obama's planned visit next month to Israel and Palestinian areas next month.