Focus on Palestine talks, Israel told

Published

on May 31, 2007

Good luck trying to tell that to Israel, Ms. Rice.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has cautioned against a growing sentiment in Israel to pursue peace with Syria instead of with warring Palestinian factions, saying there is “no substitute” for creating a Palestinian state.

Rice, who was to discuss the stalled peace process with diplomats here yesterday, has worked for months to lay the groundwork for Palestinians and Israelis to begin discussing what she calls a “political horizon” - the parameters of a possible Palestinian state.