Jerusalem, June 28: United States National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice arrived here today amid fresh hopes for progress on a peace plan as radical Palestinian groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad decided to announce a halt to attacks on Israel. Israeli troops could start withdrawing from parts of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank city of Bethlehem under a deal struck between the two sides yesterday. Rice will hold talks with Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas and meet with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, foreign minister Silvan Shalom and defence minister Shaul Mofaz. The latest developments have infused a new life into the US- backed peace plan called 'roadmap', which was thrown off course by an upsurge of violence soon after Israel and the Palestinians signed up to the process on June four last.
Announcing the decision to declare a truce, a senior Islamic Jihad official Mohammed al Hindi said, 'We expect to declare the final agreement in the coming 24 hours."

Bureau Report