US urge Middle East peace talks

US envoys raced yesterday to try to revive Middle East peace talks and avert a Palestinian bid for United Nations membership, but a UN official said it was probably too late to stop the move opposed by Israel and the United States.

US Middle East peace envoy David Hale and senior White House aide Dennis Ross, who met both sides last week, planned to hold talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later in the day and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas today.