The U.S. administration's new Mideast point man said today that the Western-backed Palestinian government must play a crucial role in cementing the shaky Gaza truce so broader peace efforts can be revived, according to AP. Washington dispatched envoy George Mitchell to the region just a week after President Barack Obama took office, signaling the new U.S. administration's eagerness to get directly involved in peacemaking. Mitchell met with Egyptian and Israeli leaders on Wednesday. On Thursday, he held talks with Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian Authority, who controls only the West Bank after losing Gaza to Hamas following a brief civil war in June 2007. «It's important to consolidate a sustainable and durable cease-fire,» Mitchell said in a brief statement to the media after meeting with Abbas.
