U.S. backs call for Mideast truce

The Mitchell Committee report

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Bush administration has signaled a more active role for the United States in helping to tackle mounting violence in the Middle East.

Following Monday's release of an international committee's report into eight months of violence, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell named ambassador to Jordan William Burns as an envoy to the region.

The committee, led by former U.S. Senator George Mitchell, called on both sides to take steps to rebuild trust and resume peace talks.

Javier Solana, the European Union's international policy chief and one of the report's authors, also gave the bloc's backing to its findings, telling CNN from Tel Aviv that it was a "road map to get out of the violence."

The report called for an immediate cease-fire, a Palestinian crackdown on terrorism and a freeze on Jewish settlements in the West Bank and Gaza.

Powell backed the committee's findings and appealed for a stop to the killing which has claimed over 500 lives -- the majority of them Palestinian -- since September:

CNN ACCESS Peres: 'Our enemies are not the Palestinians' Erakat: Mitchell report can provide a way out Mitchell: No such thing 'as conflict that can't be ended'    VIDEO U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell is sending a team of diplomats in response to the latest Mideast report. CNN's David Ensor reports (May 21) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) In an exclusive interview with CNN, former U.S. Sen. George Mitchell talks about the report (May 21) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) Watch the news conference by the Mitchell Committee (part 1) (May 21) Play video (Part 2) (May 21) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)    AUDIO CNN's Mike Hanna: Implementation of Mitchell's report is difficult 843K/78 sec. AIFF or WAV sound CNN's Ben Wedeman: Arab countries try to increase U.S. involvement 493K/46 sec. AIFF or WAV sound   RESOURCES Full text of the Mitchell Committee's report (from the Meridian International Center website) Requires Adobe® Acrobat® Reader™ Click here to download the reader.    ALSO Mitchell-Rudman statement on Mideast report Reaction to Mitchell report focuses on issue of Jewish settlements Arab League ministers urge suspending political contact with Israel U.S. wants to see 'specific language' of Arab League document

"It is clear now more than ever that there can be no military solution -- no military solution -- to this conflict and that negotiation provides the only path to a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in the Middle East," he said.

Violence in the region has continued, with two Palestinians killed Monday during an exchange of fire in Gaza. Gun battles also flared on the outskirts of Jerusalem.

Dennis Ross, the Clinton administration's top Mideast envoy, cautioned that at least six months would be needed to get the process under way.

Ross said the report allowed both Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat to move without appearing to make unpopular concessions. "It may give each of them an excuse to do something," Ross said. "They will not respond to each other. That much is very clear."

Powell stopped short of pledging personal involvement in talks but said Burns would back up U.S. diplomats in Israel and the Palestinian territories and "make himself available to the parties."

The secretary of state followed up his statements with telephone calls to Sharon and Arafat.

And he also left open the possibility of a meeting with Arafat during a tour of Africa and Europe which starts Tuesday. "At the moment, I don't have any plans to see anybody from the region on this trip, but things can change."

Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright told CNN's Wolf Blitzer that the U.S. needed to be involved in helping broker any peace accord between Israel and the Palestinians.

"The two parties are the ones that have to make the hard decisions, but the United States has to be there," said Albright. "They need a catalyst, they need to have somebody there as an honest broker. It's in our national interest that we be involved."

Attempts by the Clinton administration to reach a peace deal came "very, very close" to fruition, she said. "For all those years that we were involved, we were able to keep moving the process forward and avoided this kind of violence."

But for the peace process to get back on track, the current round of violence must stop, she said.

"There really has to be a cease-fire ... The Palestinians have to not only arrest people, but make sure they actually are sentenced properly and that there's not a revolving door."

Blitzer called Powell's appointment of Burns a "small, new step to increase involvement" by George W. Bush's administration.

Both Israel and the Palestinians agreed in general to the Mitchell Committee's blueprint, though Israel has not agreed to restrict settlements.

Shimon Peres, Israel's foreign minister, said Israel had agreed not to expand the number of settlements established in the West Bank and Gaza -- but the government has not yet agreed to freeze the growth of existing settlements.

And Israelis insist that a cease-fire should come before any other confidence-building measures the report recommended.

Palestinians complained that the report's blueprint was too sketchy, and said they would insist that all points be put in place.

"We are fully committed to carry out all our obligations emanating from this report, providing that we implement honestly and without any games -- the full report, page to page, without being selective," Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said.