Sound The Trumpet : Rice Returns to the Region

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“Rice Returns to the Region”
by Arutz Sheva Nov.6 2008 - Hana Levi Julian
November 6th, 2008

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice returns to the region on Thursday for her 19th, and perhaps final, visit – part of the American push to extract an agreement for the establishment of a new Arab state within Israel's borders.

Rice is expected to meet with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian Authority Chairman and Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas Thursday afternoon in Jerusalem. Rice will also meet with Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Likud party chairman and Opposition Leader Binyamin (Bibi) Netanyahu, who are both strong candidates to become the next prime minister, also on Thursday afternoon in Jerusalem.

As before, it is likely she will focus her discussions on the bottom-line issues that are involved in pushing through the agreement before the end of the current year, or at the very least, a document of understanding that can be signed by both parties.

But most Knesset Members and some Cabinet Ministers have made it clear that the government, which is currently in transition, does not have the authority to negotiate such issues.

Following those talks Rice will travel to Jordan and Egypt, where she will also stop at the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh to attend a meeting of the Quartet – the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations – before returning to Washington, D.C.

All the players in the drama appear to be reaching the final act. Not so clear…

Rice has pledged to leave "no stone unturned" in her quest to tie up a final status deal between Israel and the PA before U.S. President George W. Bush turns over the reins on January 20, 2009 to newly-elected President Barack Obama. The clock began ticking with Obama's victory this past Tuesday.

Prime Minister Olmert is also running on borrowed time. Having resigned from his post after Foreign Minister Livni was elected to lead his Kadima party in September, he now heads a caretaker government. And there is no guarantee that his party will continue to rule: Livni failed to form a coalition when handed the task after Olmert stepped down, and Kadima is currently trailing the Likud in the polls. General elections are now scheduled for February 10.

Olmert also will face police investigators from the National Fraud Unit for the ninth time on Friday for a two-hour round of questions on corruption charges.

PA Chairman Abbas's ability to close a deal – and his future – is also uncertain. His term of office also ends in January 2009, although he has announced he plans to fight for an extension. Due to the 2007 militia war between Fatah and Hamas, Fatah was left to govern Judea and Samaria, while Hamas seized total control over Gaza. Thus the division in government over the PA territories, as well as the PA election issues, remain unclear as is the question of who will rule, and where.

Looking for His glorious appearing! Titus 2:13