Rice to visit Israel, Palestinian areas next week

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Thursday announced plans to visit the Middle East next week to try to revive Israeli-Palestinian peace moves but analysts doubt she will make much progress. Rice will leave Washington on Sunday and plans to visit Israel, the Palestinian territories, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, her first trip to the region since a July visit during the month-long war between Israel and Hizbullah.

The trip follows up on President George W. Bush's UN General Assembly speech which promised that the United States would "go out, consult in the region ... With those leaders who have a vision for a more moderate, democratic, stable and prosperous Middle East, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters. (Reuters)