The Quartet - the US, EU, Russia and the UN – met in New York to discuss the US-led peace summit plan on September 23.

After Sunday's meeting, the Quartet issued a statement expressing its support for the proposed international meeting that the Americans have been in the forefront of promoting.

Ms Rice said the Arab League committee, which includes Syria and Saudi Arabia, would be what she called natural invitees. However, she added, those taking part must be committed to a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinians.

The Quartet issued a roadmap in 2003 for an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal, but little progress has been made.

The Quartet also called for humanitarian assistance to Gaza to continue without obstruction - a warning to Israel, which has threatened to cut off vital energy supplies. It noted its grave concern about the continued rocket fire into Israel from the Gaza Strip, as well as what it termed recent efforts by the Hamas leadership there to stifle freedom of speech in the press.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon was chairing the talks with his Quartet partners: Ms Rice, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana.