The Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has already strongly criticised the Israeli move.
President Abbas will be wanting assurances from Dr Rice that any peace conference will produce real results on the big issues of the conflict.
Israel has so far resisted issuing a timetable of steps that would eventually lead to a Palestinian state, but the timing of Dr Rice's visit could make talks uncomfortable.
It comes a day after Israel declared Gaza "hostile entity", a move which could lead them to prevent electricity and fuel supplies getting to the territory.
Also in the West Bank, a large military operation in the city of Nablus continues. © 2007 Australian Broadcasting Corporation
