US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Tuesday will hold a series of meetings before leaving Israel following her latest shuttle diplomacy mission aimed at hammering out an agreement between Israel and the PA (Palestinian Authority) during the last days of the Bush administration.

On Tuesday, Dr. Rice is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, as well as with senior negotiators, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Ahmed Quriea (Abu Ala).

On Monday, Rice met with Defense Minister Ehud Barak, who stressed Israel has not ruled out any options regarding the Iranian threat, calling for increased international sanctions against Tehran.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)