George Mitchell, Barack Obama's old new envoy to the Middle East, is to hold talks with Palestinian leaders amid continuing violence in the Gaza Strip. He is due to meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, but not officials from Hamas, which controls Gaza.
Earlier, he met Israeli PM Ehud Olmert and said it was vital to extend the ceasefires declared last week after Israel's 22-day offensive.
Mr Mitchell has already visited Cairo and Jerusalem during a week-long tour. Mr Mitchell has said his visit, which comes less than a week into a new US presidency, showed the American commitment to peace, but shortly after he arrived Gaza militants fired a rocket into Israel and Israeli jets pounded a metal factory in southern Gaza.
The US envoy has stressed Washington's commitment to pursuing a two-state solution in Israel and the Palestinian Territories. |