Rice brokers Gaza Strip border deal
It is regarded as a significant step toward an eventual peace deal between historic enemies.
The agreement, which gives the Palestinians control over a border for the first time, took all-night negotiations and a strong diplomatic shove from Ms Rice. The basic elements of the deal had been in the works for weeks.
"I have to say as a football fan, sometimes the last yard is the hardest, and I think we experienced that today," Ms Rice told a news conference where she announced the agreement.
She praised the deal as a "big step forward" in Israeli-Palestinian relations, bruised by nearly five years of bloody fighting.
"This agreement is intended to give Palestinian people the freedom to move, to trade, to live ordinary lives," Ms Rice said.
The broader significance of the deal to free up Palestinian movement while satisfying Israeli concerns about terrorism is that it makes a statement of progress that goes beyond the technical details.
Ms Rice, who had postponed a trip to Asia by a day, oversaw the marathon negotiations in a Jerusalem hotel, huddling alternately with Israeli and Palestinian negotiators in her suite. At one stage, a laptop was being passed around, with each side typing proposed changes into the proposed text of a deal.
Yesterday morning she met with Israeli Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz to finalise the details.
The agreement is a major achievement for the Bush administration that some hope will encourage the US to become more actively involved in Mideast peacemaking.
The agreement provides a much-needed boost to the shattered Gaza economy. The deal also strengthens Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas ahead of January 25 parliament elections and could help him fend off a strong challenge by the Islamic militant group Hamas.
Ms Rice and international Mideast envoy James Wolfensohn badly wanted Israel and the Palestinian leadership to use Israel's unilateral withdrawal from the Gaza Strip last summer as traction for tougher peace negotiations down the road.
Cooperation flagged in recent weeks, and Ms Rice's two days of meetings in Jerusalem and the West Bank were meant to push the two sides to settle nitty-gritty disputes over Palestinian movement in and out of the territory they now control.
"Underneath what may seem like very small details there are hard issues," Ms Rice told reporters.
She said she had about two hours of sleep.
Mr Wolfensohn said the deal cleared the way for the international community to assist the Palestinians and help revive Gaza's economy. Donor countries have pledged hundreds of millions of dollars, but the money was held up by the lack of a border deal.
Under the agreement, the Gaza-Egypt border would tentatively open November 25. It will be operated by Palestinian and Egypt border officials, under the supervision of European monitors. Israel had demanded veto powers, but in the end conceded on the issue, said Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat. Israel will receive live transmissions via closed circuit TV from the crossing and can raise objections concerning travellers, but the Palestinians have the final say.
The European group will be headed by an Italian general, said Palestinian Information Minister Nabil Shaath.
Construction of a Gaza seaport is to begin soon, and Palestinians will be able to travel between the West Bank and Gaza in bus convoys starting December 15.
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