JERUSALEM (AP) - The U.S. Mideast envoy has begun long-awaited Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, capping months of efforts to get the dialogue under way.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office says White House envoy George Mitchell met with the Israeli leader late Wednesday afternoon. The meeting begins what is expected to be months of shuttle diplomacy.

Mitchell is scheduled to meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas later this week.

The U.S. hopes the indirect talks will lead to direct negotiations.

Abbas warned the talks could quickly collapse if they do not focus on core issues like the final borders of a Palestinian state.

Netanyahu says the Palestinians can raise any matter in the talks, but his chief concern is security.