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Mideast: 'Bush still hopeful'
03/03/2008 21:47 - (SA)
Washington - US President George W. Bush has not given up on securing a Middle East peace deal by year's end, the White House said on Monday, as it called for an end to Hamas rocket attacks on Israel.
"We have a clear message: The Palestinian people have a choice to make," national security spokesperson Gordon Johndroe told reporters as Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice headed to the region.
"It's a choice between terrorism, or a choice between a political solution that leads to a Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with Israel," said Johndroe.
Rice's mission aims to revive flagging peace talks that were relaunched with great fanfare at a US-sponsored conference in Annapolis, Maryland, in November, with an eye on sealing a peace deal by year's end - one month before President George W. Bush's term ends in January 2009.
Asked whether Bush had given up on that goal, Johndroe replied: "No, absolutely not. We're going to keep on pursuing it."
"It is in the best interest of the Palestinian people, it's in the best interest of the Israeli people, it's in the best interest of the people in the region and the whole wide world, so we've got to keep after it," he said.
One of Rice's top goals will be to woo Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas back to the negotiating table.
Abbas formally suspended all contacts with Israel on Sunday in protest at the blitz on Gaza that has killed 116 Palestinians, including 22 children and dozens of militants, according to Gaza health ministry statistics.
Two Israeli soldiers were also killed in the clashes and one Israeli civilian died in a rocket attack launched by Gaza militants.
"We obviously want these talks to resume as soon as possible. I think that's something that Secretary Rice will take up with President Abbas, as well as other leaders in the region," said Johndroe.
Rice's trip came after a fresh outbreak of violence between Israel and militants from the Palestinian group Hamas - which controls Gaza - has placed the teetering peace process in peril.
"The number one thing that has to happen is Hamas has got to stop targeting Israeli citizens with rockets. It must stop. The parties then need to get back to the negotiating table and have discussions," said Johndroe.
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