The White House urged calm in the Middle East on Saturday after the resignation of Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas and an Israeli attack that wounded the spiritual leader of Islamic militant group Hamas.
The exit of Abbas - on whom the United States was counting to help broker peace - caused shock around the world and triggered fears of a fresh wave of Mideast violence.
"We are following events in the region closely and our representatives are in touch with all interested parties,"
White House spokesman Scott McClellan said in a statement.
"At this critical moment, it is important that all parties consider carefully the consequences of their actions.
McClellan said the United States was still committed to the peace plan known as the road map.
"We remain committed to implementation of the road map, working with Israelis, Palestinians, Arab states who seek peace, and our quartet partners to realize the vision outlined by the president on June 24, 2002," the statement said.
The "quartet," consisting of the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations, drafted the road map that calls for the creation of a Palestinian state by 2005.
As analysts and diplomats fretted about the future of the road map, Israel fired a missile into a home in Gaza City in an apparent attempt to kill Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, a co-founder of Hamas.
Yassin's wounding resulted from the latest in a series of Israeli attacks on Hamas members that have come in retaliation for an Aug. 19 suicide bombing that killed 22 Israelis.
Hamas has claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing, which occurred on a bus in Jerusalem.