U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice is back in Israel, having arrived here Saturday night. Rice will meet with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert this week, and prepare for the arrival of President George W. Bush, who is set to address the Knesset on Yom Ha'atzmaut later this week.
In a statement Friday, Rice suggested that Israel and the Palestinian Authority should settle on borders more or less where the “building line” of Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria end within the barriers of the security fence. Although “the United States government does not, accept that anything that is done prior to an agreement can, in fact, now present a fait accompli or determine the final outcome of this,” she said that “the best thing we can possibly do is finally, finally determine what those borders are going to be.”
In a statement Friday, Rice suggested that Israel and the Palestinian Authority should settle on borders more or less where the “building line” of Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria end within the barriers of the security fence. Although “the United States government does not, accept that anything that is done prior to an agreement can, in fact, now present a fait accompli or determine the final outcome of this,” she said that “the best thing we can possibly do is finally, finally determine what those borders are going to be.”