The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Jerusalem

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was to meet with Israeli and Palestinian leaders Tuesday to spur US-backed peace talks having said reaching a full deal by the end of the year would be tough.

Rice was to hold talks with Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and former Palestinian prime minister Ahmed Qorei, who head their respective negotiating teams, before meeting with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas in the West Bank.

At the start on Monday of her 18th visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories in the past two years, Rice welcomed Israel's release of nearly 200 Palestinian prisoners but urged both sides to take more steps to build confidence.

"We continue to have the same goal which is to reach agreement by the end of the year," Rice told reporters travelling with her on the plane from Washington to Tel Aviv.