The US Secretary of State, Mr Colin Powell, had barely climbed the steps of his jet on his way to Cairo for the next step of his Middle East tour when Israel's Prime Minister, Mr Ariel Sharon, true to form, closed Gaza down once again.
The message to President Bush, whom Mr Sharon will meet next week, could not be blunter: Israel's government has no intention, except on its own terms, of setting out on the journey to Palestinian statehood mapped out in the "road map" proposed by the international quartet of the US, EU, Russia and the UN.
On Sunday restrictions on leaving Gaza had been relaxed and 61 Palestinian prisoners released. Yesterday, however, the Israeli military barred Palestinians and all foreigners, except diplomats, from leaving and entering the coastal strip of Gaza. For the first time in years foreign nationals - and, notably, journalists - will no longer be able to bear witness to the unequal, brutal war being waged there by Israeli forces. The work of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, responsible for the day to day survival of many tens of thousands of Gaza's impoverished residents, is also being severely impeded.
Mr Powell's visit was meant to relaunch the peace process in the new window of opportunity presented by the overthrow of Saddam Hussein. But there has been speculation in Israel that the US is still sending mixed messages to its leaders - ahead of the Powell visit the White House's hawkish National Security Council Middle East adviser, Mr Elliot Abrams, slipped in to the country secretly to meet Mr Sharon. The fear is that he may have been telling the latter that Mr Bush, no matter what his Secretary of State may say, is less than enthusiastic about arm twisting Israel.
Whatever the truth, in the hall of mirrors that is Middle East politics perception is all. Both the Israelis' and US body language suggests no change in political will post-Saddam. And, although Mr Mahmoud Abbas has taken over the reins at the Palestinian Authority, his continuing row with Mr Yasser Arafat over control of the Palestinian security services does not inspire confidence either.
The "road map", with its path to Palestinian statehood in 2005, is still the best hope for peace despite the 15 "comments and corrections" suggested by the Israelis and the continued Palestinian failure to rein in militants. But it requires both sides to take first confidence-building steps together. Mr Powell left with a half-hearted plea urging that "what makes a difference is whether or not both sides find enough in common with the road map that they can begin the process of moving down the road." Mr Sharon's response was an eloquent slamming into reverse.