The United States is sending envoy Anthony Zinni back to the Middle East in an attempt to end more than 15 months of violence between Israel and the Palestinians.
Mr Zinni left the region 16 days ago after a three-week mission during which a wave of Palestinian suicide bomb attacks were launched inside Israel, leading to a series of Israeli reprisal strikes.
A spokesman for the US embassy in Israel said that Mr Zinni would return on Thursday.
