Rice hails progress on Gaza pullout

Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas shakes hand with the US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice during their joint press conference at the Palestinian Authority headquarters in the West Bank city of Ramallah yesterday. PHOTO: AFP

Just weeks before the historic pullout of Israeli troops and settlers is to begin on August 17, Rice flew to the region to ensure that next month's pullout is carried out successfully and not marred by militant violence.

The two sides were looking to balance three conditions: freedom of movement inside the Gaza Strip, between Gaza and the outside world, and security, she told a news conference with Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas.

"I think they are making some progress, I think we can close many of these issues very expeditiously with enough will, perhaps a change in mood here or perhaps a change in mood there," she said.

Rice however bristled when pressed on concrete details of the negotiations between the two sides.

"These are negotiations and discussions. I am not going to have them in the press."

Alluding to Palestinian fears that the pullout could turn Gaza into a giant prison, she cautioned Israel not to seal off the narrow slither of territory in a bid to facilitate desperately needed economic recovery.

"When the Israelis withdraw from Gaza, it cannot be sealed off or isolated, with the Palestinian people closed in after the withdrawal," Rice added.

The Palestinians have insisted that there are provisions for a "safe passage" into the West Bank as well for a new sea port and the reopening of Gaza airport.

Amid further Palestinian complaints that the pullout was heading for disaster without answers to numerous questions on key issues, Rice reiterated calls for greater coordination and a "further sharing of information".

"We will continue to make sure that we're moving forward in a way that both sides understand what is coming. There needs to be coordination and there needs to be sense of predictability," she added.

The Palestinian Authority president, whose late predecessor Yasser Arafat was boycotted by the Bush administration, said a successful pullout could lay the foundations of the creation of a democratic Palestinian state also incorporating the West Bank.