US Secretary of State says during press conference with Foreign Minister Livni in Jerusalem that her country will not 'abandon the innocent Palestinians in Gaza'
"Hamas
is a hostile group in the eyes of the United States," US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Wednesday during a Jerusalem press conference with Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni.
Rice's remarks came hours after the Israeli cabinet declared
the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip a hostile entity and pledged to curb energy supplies to the 1.5 million Palestinians living in the coastal territory.
Gaza Crisis
Abbas: Israeli sanctions on Gaza 'oppressive' / Associated Press
Palestinian president condemns Israel's plan to cut fuel, electricity supplies to Gaza Strip, says it will only strengthen chocking embargo imposed on 1.5 million people, increase their suffering
"The US will not abandon the innocent Palestinians in Gaza," Rice said, but voiced concern over Hamas's takeover of the Strip.
Livni said Israel
expected the Palestinians "to understand that Israeli security is in their own interests," adding that the Palestinians must acknowledge "that supporting Hamas won't help them."
Rice said earlier Wednesday her visit to the region was aimed at creating momentum to bring Israel and the Palestinians closer on key issues ahead of the US-sponsored peace conference in November.
On the Iranian front, Rice said that following the diplomatic track to bring Iran
to abandon its nuclear program could work but diplomacy needed "to have teeth."
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