Visiting US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met with Israeli
Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni on Wednesday, the two discussed
Israel's decision that defined the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip as a
"hostile entity."
At a joint press conference held after their meeting, Rice told
the reporters that the Palestinian Hamas is a "hostile entity" to
US as well.
Israel's Security Cabinet declared the Gaza Strip a "hostile
entity" on Wednesday ahead of Rice's visit and said it would cutoff
power and fuel supplies to the strip.
Gaza's population, largely impoverished, is almost entirely
dependent on Israel for the supply of electricity, water and fuel,
and a cutoff would deepen their hardship.
Since the Hamas takeover in June, Israel has closed crossings
with Gaza almost entirely, allowing in only humanitarian aid.
However, Rice reiterated that the US will not abandon the innocent
Palestinians in Gaza.
For her part, Livni said that Israel withdrew from the Gaza
Strip two years ago, hoping that could lead to the establishment of
a Palestinian state, but only get almost daily rocket attacks in
return.
"We expect the Palestinians to understand that Israeli security
is in their own interests," Livni said, adding that Palestinians
must understand "supporting Hamas won't help them."
The Israeli Security Cabinet's declaration of Gaza as an
"hostile entity" could lead to the most severe retaliatory measure
taken by Israel against Palestinian rocket fire from the strip.
The crude rocket attacks have killed 12 people in southern
Israel in the past seven years, injured dozens more and badly
disrupted daily life in the region.
Last week, a Qassam rocket hit an Israeli military base near the
Gaza Strip, wounding over 60 soldiers in the attack. The attack
then sparked calls for the government to take harsh response
against the Gaza Strip, which has been under the control of Hamas
since it violently took over the enclave in mid June.
The Jewish states has been holding Hamas responsible for the
attack, although the movement has not been directly involved in the
attacks. Israel still accused the Islamic movement of doing little
to halt them.
Apart from the Palestinian issue, Rice also discussed with Livni
issues about Iran, Lebanon and the Middle East peace progress.
She said Israel and the Palestinians are showing good faith in
their negotiations towards a "two state solution."
Regarding Iranian issues, Rice told reporters that diplomatic
mean is a part of efforts to halt the Iranian nuclear program, but
stressed it "has to have teeth."
Rice, who had visited this region in August, is also expected to
hold separate meetings on Wednesday with Israeli Defense Minister
Ehud Barak and the Likud party head Binyamin Netanyahu.
She will then hold a dinner meeting with Israeli Prime Minister
Ehud Olmert.
Rice is scheduled to leave on Thursday afternoon and visit the
West Bank city of Ramallah for meetings with the Palestinian
leadership on Thursday.
(Xinhua News Agency September 20, 2007)
