WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice cut short her first Africa trip, and skipped plans to visit three African countries, in order to fly from Sudan to Israel this evening, on a diplomatic mission to help pave the way for the upcoming disengagement plan.
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Rice will hold separate meetings on Friday with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, Vice Premier Shimon Peres, Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom, and Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz.
The American secretary of state is expected to request that Israel continues its restraint and coordinate the disengagement from Gaza with the Palestinian side.
On Saturday, Rice will meet Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia, Interior Minister Nasser Yousef, and possibly with Minister for Civilisn Affairs Muhammad Dahlan.
Speaking about Rice’s forthcoming visit, State Department spokesman Adam Ereli said the U.S. sees “a number of activities by both sides that deserve attention,” and highlighted “the activity of the Palestinian Authority against Palestinian extremists and terror organizations which are attempting to sabotage a historic opportunity for peace.”
Ereli also praised Israel’s moves “to protect herself and to act with restraint.”
Rice is planning to tell the Palestinian leadership that the current period presents a one-time opportunity to act to bring order to Palestinian areas, and to enable the disengagement plan to be carried out smoothly.
For this reason, the Americans are demanding that the Palestinians not only spread their forces out and hunt down dispatchers of Qassam rockets, but that they also act against the terrorist infrastructure, its leaders and organizers.
In recent days, the American government has been trying to prevent a further deterioration in the region, and to renew dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians, with the help of General William Ward, who met with Palestinian officials.
Assistant secretary of state to the Middle East David Walsh, who only recently returned from visiting Israel and Egypt, will return to Israel in order to prepare Rice’s visit.
The U.S. government has said that “the two sides must make a maximum effort” to see a successful pullout.
“We encourage both sides to show restraint and to renew the quiet,” said the U.S. government.
“We have seen recently that the Palestinian Authority has taken some positive steps against the violence and terror, but they must do more. They must puruse every avenue, as we agreed, to stop the violence and to bring terror to an end,” said State Department spokesman Sean McCormack
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