U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is in Israel and the Palestinian territories today for meetings aimed at reviving the Mideast peace process.
She is meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank city of Ramallah, and then heads to Jerusalem for dinner with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. On Thursday, she is to meet with Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni.
Rice also discussed the Israeli-Palestinian issue earlier today in Cairo with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
Rice says she is examining ways of helping Mr. Abbas and his moderate Fatah faction, which is locked in a power struggle with the ruling Palestinian militant group, Hamas.
Late Tuesday in Cairo, Rice called on Hamas to fully respect the principles of the Middle East Quartet. The United States, European Union, the United Nations and Russia say Hamas must renounce violence, recognize Israel and accept prior Palestinian agreements with the Jewish state.