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)