Rice arrives in Israel from Lebanon

JERUSALEM, July 24 (Reuters) US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in Israel from Lebanon today on a visit aimed at creating conditions for a ''sustainable ceasefire'' in Israel's war with Hizbollah.

Rice is due to meet Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni over dinner tonight and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert tomorrow. She will also meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

The United States, which blames Hizbollah and its allies in Syria and Iran for the crisis, wants any ceasefire deal to remove the threat to Israel posed by the Shi'ite group.

Lebanese sources said Rice had insisted in Beirut that, before any ceasefire, Hizbollah should pull back from the border and free two Israeli soldiers, whose abduction on July 12 triggered the crisis.

REUTERS MQA ND2326