Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday that his country was doing all it could do to advance the peace process with the Palestinians, local daily Ha'aretz reported.

Netanyahu made the remarks during a Jerusalem meeting with George Mitchell, US President Barack Obama's special envoy to the Middle East.

For his part, Mitchell said there are understandings that have been reached and can aid in advancing the peace process, said the report, without giving further details.

Meanwhile, local news service Ynet cited Israeli Prime Minister's Office (PMO) as stating that the meeting between Netanyahu and Mitchell, which is part of a round of meetings being held by Mitchell and other top US administration officials in the region this week, was positive.

According to the PMO, the two discussed various issues concerning the political process instead of just the issue of settlements in the West Bank, one of the core issues impeding the US-backed Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

Netanyahu and Mitchell are scheduled to meet again in August, said Ynet, adding that Israeli officials estimated that a few more rounds of talks with the Americans are necessary before any agreement on settlements can be reached.

Over the past few months, the US administration has been leading the international community in urging Israel to totally freeze construction in West Bank settlements and east Jerusalem. Yet the Netanyahu government has so far refused to yield to that demand, giving rise to worries about the relations between the two nations.

(Xinhua News Agency July 29, 2009)