Barbara Leaf heading to Israel and the West Bank

US assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs to meet Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas

Barbara Leaf, pictured in 2017 when she was US ambassador to the UAE. Antonie Robertson / The National

Barbara Leaf, the newly confirmed assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern Affairs, will visit Jerusalem and Ramallah on a three-day trip to Israel and Palestine in an effort to resume stalled peace negotiations and discuss Iran, the State Department said.

Ms Leaf's first trip since taking the position two weeks ago will focus on consulting “with Israeli and Palestinian partners on a range of priorities, including deepening bilateral US co-operation with both Israel and the Palestinian Authority, Israeli-Palestinian relations and US support for a two-state solution”, the State Department statement read.

The former US ambassador to the UAE will meet Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas as well as representatives of civil society groups.

Ms Leaf will also discuss “deterring Iran’s aggressive regional activities, and support for Israel’s integration into the broader Middle East region”.

President Joe Biden’s administration has restored ties with the Palestinian Authority following years of tension during the Donald Trump era.

Washington is hoping to use those ties to resume direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians after a years-long stalemate.

On Thursday, the US redesignated its diplomatic mission to the Palestinians in Jerusalem in a symbolic move that acknowledges the Palestinian presence in the city. It will report directly to Washington “on substantive matters”.

Mr Biden is planning a trip to the Holy Land in July, his first as president.

Ms will be accompanied on her trip by her deputy, Hady Amr, who is already on the ground preparing for the visit, and Cynthia Cook, National Security Council director for Israel and Palestinian affairs.