US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told the Security Council that the United States, Israel's closest ally, understands "the urgency of an end to the fighting" and is working around the clock to achieve it.
"In this regard, we are pleased by, and wish to commend, the statement of the president of Egypt and to follow up on that initiative," Rice said, referring to a cease-fire plan proposed by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
Rice cautioned, however, that any solution must include an end to Hamas rocket and mortar attacks on southern Israel,
she should have said all rocket attacks because that wording allows so called splinter groups to fire off rockets
the opening of all borders in Gaza,
hope this means border crossings, not borders
and an end to arms smuggling into the Palestinian territory. |