WASHINGTON (USA Today) — They met. They shook hands. And they agreed to meet again.
Israelis and Palestinians have embarked on another round of peace talks after two days of stroking and cajoling by the Obama administration — an outcome that experts said is about as good as it gets for now.

Before leaving here Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas joined hands literally and figuratively. They condemned this week's violence against Israelis on the West Bank, set Sept. 14-15 for their next talks and agreed to seek a "framework agreement."

None of the major issues that divide them were solved — the borders of a future state of Palestine, a way to guarantee Israel's security, the status of Palestinian refugees and the dual claims on Jerusalem. But the two men and their mediators nevertheless got off to a solid start.

"You each have taken an important step toward freeing your peoples from the shackles of a history we cannot change and moving toward a future of peace and dignity that only you can create," Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said.

One of the first agreements was to meet again in less than two weeks in the Middle East, most likely in Egypt. They also agreed to meet about every two weeks thereafter.

Middle East special envoy George Mitchell said the leaders condemned "all forms of violence that target innocent civilians" and pledged to seek security. That was a reference to violence in the West Bank earlier this week that left four Israeli settlers dead, including a pregnant woman and a mother of six.

He said they also agreed to seek a framework that could guide the talks toward the "fundamental compromises" that will be necessary if all issues are to be resolved and the decades-long conflict ended within a year, the agreed-upon goal.

"At least in a couple of instances (in the past), time ran out," Mitchell said, referring to peace talks in 2000 under Bill Clinton and 2008 under George W. Bush. If the talks fail again, he said, "it isn't going to be because time ran out at the end."

The week's meetings at the White House and State Department were cordial, but the substance remains contentious in the Middle East. Many Israelis don't want to give up land for peace, particularly in East Jerusalem. Palestinians want Israel to extend its moratorium on West Bank settlements as a first sign of good faith, something Netanyahu has not pledged to do. The ban expires Sept. 26.

"The earliest challenge to these talks will be the moratorium," said David Makovsky, a Middle East expert at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

Netanyahu cited legitimacy and security as the "two pillars" of peace. He said the Palestinians must be ready to recognize Israel and help provide for its safety.