Following a meeting with Bush last month, Abbas was both angry and downcast. He said “nothing has been achieved” in negotiations with Israel and complained that the Bush administration is not exerting pressure on Israel to implement its commitments to the “road map” peace plan by dismantling barricades and checkpoints in the West Bank, removing settler outposts and halting settlement expansion.

Before her discussions with Abbas, Rice met Israeli Premier Ehud Olmert and Defence Minister Ehud Barak in a bid to secure Israeli compliance with the terms of the road map.

During her last visit to the region, she obtained an Israeli pledge to remove 50 roadblocks, but the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), reported that only 44 had been removed, most of them minor dirt barriers closing roads to villages.

At least 612 still remain, 55 more than there were a year ago. “The first thing we are going to do is review the ones that were supposedly removed,” Rice stated.

Rice also consulted General William Frazer who has been dispatched to Jerusalem to follow up on Israeli and Palestinian implementation of their obligations.

While Rice said the Palestinians are meant to take responsibility for security in areas under Palestinian administration, she warned that Israel must not undermine their police by conducting non-stop raids into Palestinian cities and towns. Last month 373 Palestinians were detained in such incursions which prevent Palestinian security forces from doing their job.

Call to end settlement

Last Friday the Quartet of facilitators comprised of the US, UN, European Union and Russia called upon Israel to end all settlement activity in the West Bank and lift roadblocks which isolate Palestinian towns and villages, severely restrict freedom of movement and hamper economic activity.

On the eve of her visit, Rice had called on both sides to reach an agreement on the borders of the proposed Palestinian state.