On the Scene: Rice Trying to Jumpstart Mideast Peace Talks

Diplomatic correspondent Thomas Omestad is traveling with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on her Mideast trip, and has this to report from Jerusalem:

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met again with top Palestinian and Israeli leaders on Monday in an effort to help negotiate a two-state peace deal. Hours after meeting the Palestinan Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Amman, Jordan, Rice is meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in an intensifying diplomatic campaign to inject some momentum into the Middle East peace process.

Olmert and the Israeli government refuse to negotiate with the Palestinians in light of the formation of a new unity government led by Hamas, but are willing to discuss security and humanitarian issues with the more moderate Abbas. The Israelis are angry that the Palestinian president has so far failed to secure the release of an Israeli soldier being held by extremists. Israel also contends that Abbas was too eager to cut a deal with his rivals, Hamas.

Also complicating the picture for Rice: Olmert has been politically weakened by corruption scandals involving Israeli officials and by the military's lackluster achievements in its summer war in Lebanon. That makes him, in the view of many analysts, poorly positioned to make any significant compromises with the Palestinians.

Rice began Monday by flying from Tel Aviv to Amman and then back to Israel in the afternoon. The Jordanians have been among the strongest Arab backers of a comprehensive peace deal with Israel.

Etc.: A New Face at Foggy Bottom, on USNews.com