Bush calls Abbas to discuss Gaza

[Terri]

By DEB RIECHMANN
Associated Press
December 31, 2008

CRAWFORD, Texas (AP) -- President George W. Bush and his top advisers conducted an urgent round of telephone diplomacy Tuesday to help end the deadly conflict between Israel and Hamas, but insisted that if any new cease-fire is to work, it must be honored by the Islamic militant group.

"We want to see an end to the violence for the long term, not just the immediate," White House deputy press secretary Gordon Johndroe said, briefing reporters in Crawford, where Bush is staying at his ranch. "We don't want a cease-fire agreement that isn't worth the piece of paper it's written on. We want something that's lasting, and most importantly, respected by Hamas," which controls the Gaza Strip.

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[Terri]

Rice works phones aggressively on Gaza crisis

By MATTHEW LEE
Associated Press
December 31, 2008

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Tuesday kept up steady U.S. calls for a "durable and sustainable," but not necessarily immediate, cease-fire to end Israel's assault on Gaza and rocket attacks by Palestinian militants based there.

In phone calls with Israeli and Arab leaders, including Jordan's King Abdullah II, as well as other interested regional and international officials, Rice pressed for durable solution to the fighting that is not used by the radical Hamas movement to launch more attacks into Israel, the State Department said.

"She is working extremely hard to try and get both sides to agree that a cease-fire can be re-established and that that cease-fire can be fully respected," spokesman Gordon Duguid (doo-GOOD) told reporters.

[Cynical Pete]

Don't they have phone calls blocking in that area? That would be a partial solution.