Mitchell seeks to extend Gaza truce

Dubai: US President Barack Obama's new Mideast envoy George Mitchell arrived in Israel on Wednesday on the second leg of his first regional tour, amid politicians warning not to pin great hopes on his peace efforts at this stage.

Mitchell, who earlier visited Cairo, said he has instructions from Obama to "engage vigorously" to achieve real progress in the region. He discussed with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak Cairo's efforts to bring peace to Gaza. "It is of critical importance that the ceasefire be extended and consolidated. We support Egypt's continuing efforts in that regard," he said after meeting Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

Arab-Israeli Knesset member Ahmad Teibi told Gulf News that the Americans "are saying it is only an exploratory mission of the region ... I suggest nobody pins great hopes on this visit. We hope there is a change in the US policy, but to know whether there is a change or not needs time."

Mitchell's tour coincided with fresh fighting, as Israeli warplanes bombed tunnels linking Gaza and Egypt. "The Israeli escalation," Hamas representative in Lebanon Osama Hamdan said, "aims to tell Mitchell that he is not welcome and he has to visit according to Israeli standards."

Meanwhile, Jordan's King Abdullah II called yesterday for Arab states, Brussels and Washington to join forces in Middle East peace efforts, in talks with visiting EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana.