News Brief

(IsraelNN.com) Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman Mahmoud Abbas told a joint news conference with American Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice several minutes ago that he asked her to try to put a stop to building in Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria and to halt construction of the separation barrier.

Secretary Rice limited her comments to saying that both Israel and the PA are making "serious efforts" to reach a common understanding toward the planned Middle East conference in Annapolis, Maryland.