KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: As if the Mideast peace process wasn't difficult enough, now a key U.S. player, the U.S. ambassador to Israel, has been sidelined by allegations he mishandled classified information. With more on this story, CNN's Mike Hanna joins us from Jerusalem. Mike?</s>MIKE HANNA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, no official reaction here. Officials, Palestinian and Israeli, see this as an internal U.S. matter. Mr. Indyk cplayed a major role in defining U.S. policy in the region. He was appointed to the national security council in 1993. This was at the time a controversial appointment, as Arab nations, and in particular the Palestinians, regarded Ambassador Indik as being too close to the Israelis. However, in the years that he spent in Israel, he did manage to garner a huge amount of respect on all sides, has been seen very much by all parties as an independent arbiter and respected too for his knowledge of the region. He was recalled to Washington towards the late '90s and made the assistant secretary of state for Near East affairs before returning to Israel as ambassador at the beginning of this year. There's been no comment here from the U.S. embassy either. However, the understanding there is that Ambassador Indik will not return till the investigation into his alleged security breach is completed -- Kyra.</s>PHILLIPS: All right, Mike Hanna live from Jerusalem, thank you.
Key U.S. Player in Middle East Peace Talls Sidelined