On the evening of November 21 US Secretary of State Colin L. Powell arrived in Israel to start his first visit to the country in 18 months, and also his first visit to the Middle East since his announcement of resignation. When holding talks with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in Jerusalem, Powell said US supports the Palestinian elections and added, "This is a moment of opportunity as we look forward to a new push for peace process in the Middle East''. In reply, Sharon pledged Israel will allow the Palestinians in the eastern Jerusalem to vote in the Palestinian elections and do "everything in its power" to enable Palestinian elections to take place. Powell later met the interim Palestinian leadership in the West Bank town of Jericho, discussing the issues of Palestinian elections and the Palestinian-Israeli relations after Yasser Arafat's death. Later, Powell will be in Egypt to attend Sharm Al-Sheikh conference on Iraq.

Earlier, US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs William Burns arrived in the Middle East ahead of Powell paving the way for Powell's visit. On November 20 Burns held talks with Israel's national security adviser Giora Eiland and then went to the West Bank city of Ramallah where he held a series of meetings with Palestinian officials, including the interim Palestinian President Rawhi Fattouh, Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Mahmud Abbas, Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmad Qure, Palestinian Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath and Negotiations Minister Saeb Erakat. Burns is the first US official to visit Palestine after Arafat's death. In his words Burns' visit to Palestine would seek the possibility of the all-round co-operation between US and Palestine. According to the news disclosed by the talks held between Burns and the three top officials of interim Palestine organization and the following Powell's visit, people will feel US will step in the Palestine-Israeli issue.

In the past two years, US has adopted an "aloof stand'' or even stood by on the Palestine-Israel issue on the pretext of Arafat at the center of the Palestine power and of lacking substantial political reforms in Palestine. Now the United States has no reason to do so. After Arafat Palestine enters into a completely new period and faces internal power transition and regrouping of all kinds of forces. At this critical time, if the US does not step in the Palestine-Israel issue it will be in a passive position. So Burns said US will back the Palestine elections fully.

There are no peaceful days for Palestine and Israel, which goes against US strategic interests in the Meddle East. Especially under the worsening situation in Iraq US will have double losses in the Middle East if letting the Palestine and Israel conflict grow in intensity. On the contrary if doing something in appeasing Palestine and Israel conflicts the Bush administration will gain some. At the same time US President George W. Bush will not scruple the Jew vote issue in his second term of office. All this has offered a good opportunity for Bush administration to do something on the Palestine and Israel issue. The public opinion interprets that Bush is in a position to force Israel to make concessions for pushing forward the relaxation of Palestine and Israel contradictions if Bush is willing to.

On November 17 the White House announced that Bush has decided to offer assistance worthy of 20 million US dollars to PLO for a new push for the peace process in the Middle East. Generally US offers assistance to Palestine through international organizations with an annual aid sum valued at 75 million US dollars, which is opposed by some US congressmen saying the foreign assistance funds should be under strict management to guarantee that the funds will not be used by corruption officials in Palestine. Recently Bush has stressed once again that the push for Palestine and Israel negotiations is one of the major points for US foreign policy. The indication is that US is readjusting its Middle East policy. Possibly with Condoleezza Rice as new US Secretary of State US will revive the "road map'' for peace in the Middle East. By helping Palestine to found a state as bait US will push forward the reform process of Palestine politics and step in the Palestine and Israel issue.

There show doubts about Bush administration's new Middle East policy in the Arabic public opinion. Some media deem Powell is the best respected one among the US government officials, known as "just voice'' of the White House. When arriving in Jerusalem Powell announced he would exert pressure on both leaders of Palestine and Israel and urge Israel to help facilitate the vote. He said, "We will do everything that we can, working together, to see that these elections are held in a peaceful way'', which wins praises from the Palestine and Arabic world. Media signed with emotion that it is a pity for Powell to resign and there are strong personal friendship between Rice and some Israeli officials. Will she take the Israeli part even more in the future? Perhaps the worry will not be superfluous.

By People's Daily Online