Jerusalem  - Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert met Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Jerusalem Monday afternoon, hours before the Israeli leader flies to Washington for meetings with administration officials.

Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and former Palestinian premier Ahmed Qureia, who head the Israeli and Palestinian teams negotiating an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, also attended the parley.

The meeting was held in the shadow of the latest row between the sides, over an Israeli plan to build homes in occupied East Jerusalem.

Abbas and Olmert have pledged to meet regularly in order to discuss the negotiations, which renewed at the turn of the year after a seven-year hiatus.

Lizni was due to meet visiting German Foreign Minister Frank- Walter Steinmeier later Monday. Steinmeier had met with Abbas in Ramallah and urged the Israelis and Palestinians to avoid actions that could derail a planned framework peace agreement. (dpa)