Rice tries to bridge the gap over Gaza

United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice pressed for Israeli-Palestinian co-operation over Israel's planned withdrawal from the Gaza Strip after arriving in the Middle East on a troubleshooting mission.

Rice's third visit to the region this year, hastily arranged after a surge of violence, was a sign of Washington's commitment to the pullout from occupied Gaza.

In a possible sweetener for Sharon, Israeli media reported that Rice had proposed a summit to bring together Israel and Arab countries after the pullout.