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Rice Urges Gaza Truce, But No Return to 'Status Quo Ante' of Hamas Rocketing

By David Gollust
State Department
02 January 2009

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Friday the United States wants a Gaza cease-fire as soon as possible, but she made clear the Bush administration does not want to see a return to the situation of last month, when an Egyptian-mediated truce was routinely broken by Hamas rocket fire into Israel.

Rice said she has no plans for an early trip to the Middle East.

In comments to reporters after a briefing for President Bush, Rice sharply criticized Hamas, which she said has held the Gaza strip hostage since illegally seizing power there in 2007 and used the coastal strip as a "launch pad" against Israel - deeply contributing to the humanitarian crisis there.

Rice said the United States is continuing a diplomatic drive to end the Gaza hostilities but made clear the Bush administration is not interested in a new cease-fire deal that would fall apart like its predecessor.

"We are working toward a cease-fire that would not allow a re-establishment of the status quo ante, where Hamas can continue to launch rockets out of Gaza," she said. "It is obvious that that cease-fire should take place as soon as possible. But we need a cease-fire that is durable and sustainable."

Rice noted that Hamas had rejected an extension of the Egyptian-brokered six-month truce that expired last month.

She said she has been in constant contact with key Arab states, Israel, and with European allies to find a solution to the Gaza situation, but said under questioning she had no plans to go to the Middle East.

Rice is due to begin her final trip abroad as secretary of state within the next few days. A full itinerary has not been announced but she will attend events in China marking the 30th anniversary of the establishment of full U.S. relations with the communist government in Beijing.

Turkish press reports have also said the Rice trip will include a stop in Turkey, which has been hosting the Israeli-Syrian peace talks that were suspended by Syria after Israel began its air assault in Gaza.

Hamas has depicted its rocket attacks on Israel as acts of resistance because Israel has refused to lift its blockade of Gaza.