Rice leaves for Mideast amid Israeli-Palestinian violence

WASHINGTON, March 3 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice left here on Monday for her visit to the Middle East following a new round of violence between Israel and the Palestinians.

Rice is scheduled to visit Egypt, Israel and the Palestinian territories, then she will travel to Brussels for the NATO ministerial talks.

Rice's trip comes amid a fresh round of violence between the militant Hamas and Israel in the Gaza Strip that has left over 100Palestinians dead since Wednesday.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbbas announced on Sunday that Palestine suspended peace talks with Israel.

The United States has called for an end to the deadly violence and a resumption of peace talks.