Quds, January 29, SPA -- President Barack Obama's new Mideast envoy promised on Wednesday a vigorous push for Israel-Palestinian peace, Associated Press reported. George Mitchell held his first round of talks with regional leaders to determine the next steps the Obama administration would take toward reviving peace negotiations following Israel's blistering military offensive against Gaza's Hamas rulers. But a flare-up of Gaza violence underscored the more immediate priority _ shoring up the 10-day-old cease-fire. Palestinians fired rockets into Israel early Thursday and late Wednesday and the military said Israeli warplanes struck Gaza tunnels and a factory. After talks in Jerusalem Wednesday with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Mitchell said consolidating the cease-fire was «of critical importance.» Mitchell embarked on his Mideast foray just a week after Obama took office. Mitchell said that after finishing his consultations in the region and with European leaders, he would report his recommendations to Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. But the envoy was silent on details of his meetings, and he has no press conferences planned during his 7-day tour, suggesting he would say little publicly before returning to Washington. «The United States is committed to vigorously pursuing lasting peace and stability in the region,» said Mitchell, who launched his diplomacy earlier Wednesday with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Cairo. He was expected to hold talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank on Thursday. Mitchell has no plans to meet with Hamas.
