Rice ends weekend trip to Middle East

Occupied Jerusalem: US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice held a one-on-one meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert at the end of her Middle East trip on Monday.

There were no other details available on the meeting. Olmert was scheduled to meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas later in the day.

Rice held a conference with Abbas on Sunday, demanding that Israel remove more road blocks to help ease the lives of Palestinians in the West Bank.

Israel promised in March to remove 61 roadblocks, however, the United Nations found out that only 44 have been dismantled.

Asked about Israeli settlements, Rice said she "continues to raise with the Israelis the importance of creating an atmosphere that is conducive to negotiations."

The twin issues of settlements and roadblocks were likely to be on the agenda at the Olmert-Abbas meeting in Occupied Jerusalem.