The United States has made an impassioned plea for calm while a new Israeli government works out a new negotiating position.
"This is a time to be patient, give the winner an opportunity to decide what kind of a government will be formed ... and to encourage all the leaders and all the people of the region to refrain from any acts that would lead to violence", said US Secretary of State Colin Powell.
"It's ... an impassioned plea to exercise restraint", he added, speaking at a joint news conference with visiting British Foreign Secretary Mr Robin Cook.
Mr Powell, in a moment of candor, said the United States could do little more than talk at this stage. "Jawboning ... is pretty much all we can do right now", he said.
He also said that Washington would not be standoffish but would view Middle East peace in a broad regional context so that the quest doesn't stand alone in and of itself.
"If one side provokes the other after the Israeli elections, it could start an uncontrollable cycle of violence", he added.
He said he expected to visit the Middle East, the Gulf and Europe later this month - his first solo trip abroad since he took office with President George W. Bush on January 20th.
Analysts expect President Bush to keep his distance from the Middle East for a while, especially in comparison with former President Bill Clinton, who took part personally in the negotiations and spent days trying to bridge the gaps.
Mr Powell said that if Middle East leaders heard the US plea for calm, then US mediation could then resume.
"We will be in a position to engage in diplomacy and political activity, to see how the two new positions, the negotiating positions, can be brought closer to one another, and hopefully get the whole quest moving forward", he said.
Reuters