Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is used to engaging in a diplomatic game of sorts with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice during her visits to the Middle East. Rice tries to demonstrate American involvement in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, while Olmert politely reminds her that her boss at the White House, George W. Bush, afford her little slack. On her penultimate visit to Jerusalem six weeks ago, Rice discovered upon her arrival that Olmert had informed the media about his telephone conversation with Bush the previous day. "The prime minister and president see eye-to-eye," said a high ranking political official in Jerusalem. The message was unmistakable: What Rice had to say barely mattered. Olmert had it all worked out with the president. Rice did not like it, but proceeded according to plan in convening the triple summit in Jerusalem with Olmert and Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas. The summit came and went with no real effect.
Upon her return to the region last week, Rice was met by Olmert's lack of interest again. "His willingness to promote the negotiations has cooled down," one of her advisers noted. At their meeting, Olmert rejected her offer to engage in negotiations on a permanent peace agreement with the Palestinians, which were designed to present them with "a political horizon." He answered that they had to first release IDF soldier Gilad Shalit, who was abducted by Hamas on June 25. Rice contented herself with minor and technical "achievements" such as the appointment of Security Coordinator Lieutenant General Keith Dayton to reorganize the forces loyal to Abbas.