WASHINGTON, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is due to visit Israel on Friday before she goes to other countries of the Middle East and Europe, the State Department said Tuesday.

    In her week-long tour, Rice will also visit the Palestinian territories, Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Germany and Britain, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters.

    The forthcoming visit by Rice was believed to be part of a long-promised U.S. effort to promote the settlement of Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

    Following her Mideast and European tour, Rice is also expected to attend a Lebanon donors conference due to be held in Paris on Feb. 24-25, according to U.S. officials.