Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, also known as Abu Mazen, left, arrives for a weekly cabinet meeting at Prime Minister Salam Fayyad's office in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Monday, Nov. 19, 2007. Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert are due to meet later Monday as preparations for next week's high-profile Mideast conference called by U.S. President George W. Bush. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)

Jerusalem (AP) The first meeting in nearly two months between the Israeli and Palestinian leaders is under way in Jerusalem.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas hope to put their troubled peace efforts back on track during Monday's summit.

The two men have pledged to reach a final peace deal by the end of the year, but have made little visible progress. The talks have been marred by continued Palestinian militant attacks from the Gaza strip and Israeli settlement activity on disputed land.

They haven't met since February 19, and last month Abbas suspended the talks to protest an Israeli offensive in Gaza.