U.S. President Donald Trump and U.S. Special Representative for the Middle East Avi Berkowitz in the White House, January 2020. Photo: Courtesy.

JNS.org – US Special Representative for the Middle East Avi Berkowitz arrived in Israel on Sunday for a series of discussions with top Israeli officials.

This will be Berkowitz’s first visit to Israel since stepping in for Jason Greenblatt, who resigned as US President Donald Trump’s emissary in November.

The visit signals that Washington is still interested in pushing the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, despite all but shelving its long-awaited peace plan after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu failed to form a government following the country’s April 9 election.

During his stay in Israel, Berkowitz is expected to meet with Netanyahu, US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman and other senior officials.

The White House has stated in the past that Trump’s Mideast peace plan has been completed, but that it will be presented only when both the Israelis and the Palestinians are ready for it.

The prolonged political stalemate has pushed back the release of the plan, as the Trump administration, which was preparing to release the peace plan in the spring of 2019, has said it will do so only after a new government is formed, meaning following the March 2 elections.