Editorial: Rice’s Delayed Visit

CONDOLEEZZA Rice’s delayed Middle East visit starts tomorrow when she arrives in Israel before visiting the occupied Palestinian Territories, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. It must be hoped that the US secretary of state brings with her a sensible reappreciation of the follies of the Bush White House’s Middle East policies and that she is coming to listen and, where appropriate, to facilitate, not to dictate.

US influence in the region, as post-Eisenhower presidents have viewed it, stems from its relations with Israel. The Iraq debacle, the growing setback in Afghanistan and the belligerent confrontation with Iran have all been influenced by Washington’s slavish support for the Israeli state and its aggressive, expansionist Zionist policies. The key to a Palestinian settlement is supposed to rest in America’s leverage with the Israeli government. However, the consistent failure to use that lever in this cause, together with the no less serious refusal to deploy it in a timely manner over Israel’s invasion of southern Lebanon, must give rise to the thought that a lever for so long un-applied amounts to no lever at all.

There are signs of fresh developments that Rice could facilitate…

Arab News offers up this view of what SecState Rice’s trip may bring about.