In addition to Olmert, his Chief-of-Staff Dr. Yoram Turbowitz, Military Adviser Maj.-Gen. Gadi Shamni, Diplomatic Adviser Shalom Turgeman and Media Adviser Asaf Shariv attended the meeting, according to a press release sent out be Olmert’s office – in which Rice’s first name was misspelled (Condoleeza).
According the Olmert’s account of the meeting, Rice expressed her appreciation for Olmert's speech at the memorial for David Ben-Gurion in Sde Boker earlier this week, saying it was an important step that was likely to both contribute towards calm and advance the peace processes in the region. Olmert and Rice also discussed Iran, though no further details were released.
Olmert updated Rice on his meeting with Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman, which reportedly dealt with the Gaza cease-fire, cross-border weapons smuggling and the release of IDF corporal Gilad Shalit.
The US Secretary of State also requested that Israel ease the condition in Gaza, as well as remove security checkpoints in Judea and Samaria.
Earlier Thursday, Rice met with Palestinian Authority Chairman and Fatah chief Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen). She called him a man who supports “resolving the conflict peacefully.” Terror groups under Abbas’s Fatah movement, however, held a press conference just two days ago displaying rockets it intends to fire at Israeli towns from Samaria.
After meeting with Olmert, Rice met with Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, who has just been appointed Justice Minister as well. Speaking to journalists, Rice said that progress had been achieved this week on the Israeli-Palestinian issue and lauded Israel’s restraint in the wake of the nine Kassams launched at the western Negev following the start of the ceasefire declared by most Gaza terrorists on Sunday.