Israel declares Gaza "enemy entity"

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Source: CCTV.com | 09-20-2007 14:41

An Israeli right wing activist holds a sign with a picture from the Jewish Holocaust as he protests against the visit of US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice during her meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert outside his Jerusalem residence, Wednesday Sept. 19, 2007. (AP Photo)

Israel has declared the Gaza Strip a "hostile territory" and said it would reduce its fuel and power supplies to the Hamas-run region. This comes in response to continued rocket attacks by Palestinian militants. Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livini made the announcement with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Jerusalem on Wednesday.

With US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni declared Hamas an "enemy entity".

Tzipi Livini said, "Our decisions today are declaring that Gaza strip is a hostile territory and the meaning is that even though when it comes to humanitarian needs, we have our own responsibility. On the other hand, all the needs which are more than humanitarian needs, will not be supplied by Israel to Gaza Strip."

The US Secretary of State is in the Middle East on a peacekeeping mission.Supporting Israel's stance on Hamas, Rice said that Gaza is also a hostile territory to the United States.

Condoleezza Rice, US secretary of State, said, "We will not abandon the innocent Palestinians in Gaza and indeed we will make every effort to deal with their humanitarian needs. But Hamas is indeed a hostile entity, it's a hostile entity to the United States as well."