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For Rice, a Risky Dive Into the Mideast Storm

(New York Times) Steven R. Weisman - Secretary of State Rice spent all day and night successfully brokering an accord on Tuesday on security controls at a Gaza border crossing, suddenly elevating the Bush administration's involvement in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to a new level. Until now President Bush and Secretary Rice have avoided taking risks in the conflict, confining their diplomacy to consultations, exhortations, drive-by visits to the region, and documents like the "road map." What changed this week, State Department officials said, was mounting fear of more instability and frustration that could lead to a rebuke of Mahmoud Abbas in Palestinian parliamentary elections in January. That sense of urgency, driven by warnings from Washington's Arab and European allies as well as from American envoys, prompted Ms. Rice's unusual personal participation in the negotiations in Jerusalem. Probably the most difficult aspect of Washington's enhanced role is that it could lead to more American pressure on Israel. This week Ms. Rice leaned heavily on Prime Minister Sharon to ease Israeli controls over people and goods going in and out of Gaza. How much pressure she can exert on other matters depends on a peaceful Israeli-Palestinian situation, something that is outside American control. If suicide or rocket attacks resume, with Gaza as a base, American pressure on Israel will probably be out of the question.
2005-11-15 00:00:00
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