US Vice President Joe Biden was to arrive in the Middle East on Monday with Israel and the Palestinians on the cusp of opening indirect peace talks after a break in negotiations of more than a year.

Biden, the highest ranking US official to visit Israel and the West Bank since President Obama took office last year, was expected to throw his weight behind the US-brokered indirect talks.

Palestinian officials announced on Sunday that they were ready to take part in the talks, despite deep scepticism about the prospects for success.

Talks between the two sides have been on hold since Israel launched a devastating offensive against the Gaza Strip in December 2008, despite US efforts to relaunch the peace process.

Biden said it was crucial both sides enter negotiations with a positive attitude.

“We have got to ensure now that we will give the talks every chance of succeeding. The key is holding talks with goodwill, so that both sides come to the table with serious intentions,” he said in an interview with the Israeli daily Yediot Aharonot.

“If the talks develop, we believe that we’ll be able to bridge the gaps and that the conflict will be ended,” he said in the interview published in Hebrew.

Biden is to meet Israeli President Shimon Peres, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and opposition leader Tzipi Livni on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, he is to hold talks with Tony Blair, special envoy for the Quartet of key diplomatic players, as well as Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas and prime minister Salam Fayyad.