Rice mediates shaky Israeli-Palestinian truce

With less than a month to go before Israel plans its historic withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said she will talk to both Israeli and Palestinian leaders about preserving hopes for peace and stability.

Rice yesterday began a long weekend of talks aimed at rescuing a shaky Israeli-Palestinian truce. Her visit was arranged hastily, as violence and protests escalated over the planned mid-August pullout.