Obama Expected to Moderate Meeting Between Netanyahu, Abbas

President Obama is expected to moderate a meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in late September, a discussion that could lead to the resumption of peace negotiations, Israeli President Shimon Peres told FOX News.

In an exclusive interview, Peres said plans are for Abbas and Netanyahu to meet at the end of September at the United Nations.

Watch Bret Baier's interview with Israeli President Shimon Peres Monday at 6 p.m. ET on "Special Report." 

"Yes, I think they will meet by the end of September. President Obama will chair it, and I think that at least there is a chance that they will decide they are going to reopen negotiations," Peres said. "But that will not include Hamas."

In order for that to happen, the Israelis will likely have to agree to suspend or halt settlement construction. Peres said that issue is still unresolved.

"On that particular issue, there is not yet an agreement. Negotiations are going on," the Israeli president told FOX News. "I do believe there is a solution for it as well. ... It must be soon. It's very hard to convince your own people to make so many concessions -- to take so many risks.

"But this is the task of a leader to move ahead. (Netanyahu) is aware of the choice, and he knows there is no chance, no escape, no alternative to go ahead and make peace. He knows he must do it ... it's just not a simple proposition."

Obama's call for a complete freeze on settlement construction has met resistance among the Israeli population. A recent Jerusalem Post poll showed only 4 percent of Israelis see Obama as pro-Israel.

But Netanyahu signaled some willingness to budge when he conditionally endorsed the creation of a Palestinian state back in June.

Another issue sure to come up in the meeting, if it occurs, is Iran.

Peres told FOX News he's convinced by intelligence he's seen that Iran is trying to build a nuclear weapon, and that Israel must work to convince other nations Iran is not only a threat to Israel.

FOX News' Bret Baier contributed to this report.