EON

Washington (EON) – The Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has postponed her trip next week to Israel and other parts of the Middle East.

The delay is to allow more time so that Defense Secretary Robert Gates can join her in her trip per the request of President Bush.

Rice also planned next week to pay a visit to Congo and would have been the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit there in over a decade. That has also been canceled though.

Bush stated in his news conference yesterday that he was sending Rice and Gates to the Middle East at the beginning of August. They will be going there, according to Bush, to promote peace and lobby support for the Iraq war strategy.

Rice’s visit to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is hoped to help him get more order for his emergency government in the west bank.