Arab states have agreed to a U.S. proposal for indirect Palestinian-Israeli talks, the Arab League secretary-general has said.

The foreign ministers of Arab states agreed to give the diplomatic initiative a four-month window at a meeting in the Egyptian capital, Cairo.

Amr Mussa, the Arab League chief, said after two days of talks: “Despite a lack of conviction over Israel’s seriousness, [Arab foreign ministers] will give indirect talks a chance, for the final time, in order to facilitate U.S. efforts, within four months.

“There was a consensus that Israel is not interested in peace, the proof being what is taking place on occupied [Palestinian] land … Acts which are meant to provoke the Arab and American sides,” Mussa added.

Saeb Erekat, the Palestinian chief negotiator, told AFP news agency on Wednesday that the talks were agreed to “so that American efforts to revive the peace process will succeed.”

Erekat said that Arab League ministers would convene again in July if the indirect negotiations failed.

However, Yusuf al-Ahmed, Syria’s representative at the Arab League, said that the follow-up committee did not have the authority to approve the resumption of the talks.

“It was clear that the meeting … was aimed at providing an Arab cover for an already-taken Palestinian decision to hold indirect negotiations with Israel with no guarantees,” al-Ahmed said.