Israel rejects calls for immediate ceasefire in Gaza

Special report:

Palestine-IsraelConflicts

French President Nicolas Sarkozy says

goodbye to Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni after a meeting at the

Elysee Palace in Paris,Jan.1,2009. Livni repeats her government's

rejection of a ceasefire with militants in the Gaza Strip while speaking

to reporters after the meeting. (Chinese media/Zhang Yuwei)
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Gallery

PARIS, Jan. 1 (Chinese media) -- Visiting Israeli Foreign

Minister Tzipi Livni rejected here on Thursday calls for an immediate ceasefire

with Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

After meeting with French President Nicolas Sarkozy

and French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, Livni said: "There is no

humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, and therefore there is no need for a

humanitarian truce," rejecting French proposal for a 48-hour truce to allow

humanitarian aid in Gaza.

She also said: "We understand that while operating in

the Gaza Strip against Hamas, we need to ease the life of the civilian

population."

Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni

speaks to reporters after a meeting with French President Nicolas Sarkozy

at the Elysee Palace in Paris,Jan.1,2009. (Chinese media/Zhang

Yuwei)
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The foreign minister noted that when Israel would

halt its military actions against Hamas of Palestine will be decided on their

daily assessment result. "We affected most of the infrastructure of terror

within the Gaza Strip and the question whether it's enough will be according to

an assessment on a daily basis," she said.

More than 400 people have been killed and 2,000

wounded in the Gaza Strip since Saturday. Sarkozy is to fly to the Middle East

region from next Monday for an end to fighting between Israel and Hamas.

Besides, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana is expected to travel to the

region.

Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni is

greeted by her French counterpart Bernard Kouchner before a meeting with

French President Nicolas Sarkozy at the Elysee Palace in Paris,Jan.1,2009.

(Chinese media/Zhang Yuwei)
Photo

Gallery

Israel imposes general closure on West Bank

JERUSALEM, Jan. 1 (Chinese media) -- Israel's defense establishment on Thursday night decided to seal off the West Bank for two days, as the ongoing deadly assaults in Gaza Strip has strained relations between Jews and Arabs.

The general closure, ordered by Defense Minister Ehud Barak, starts at midnight Thursday and ends on Saturday night, said the army in a statement, adding that entries to Israel of those in need of humanitarian or medical aid will be authorized by a special liaison office.

Israel facing problem of finding exit strategy for Gaza

operation



JERUSALEM, Jan. 1 (Chinese media) -- As the Israel Defense Forces (IDF)operation in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip continued on Thursday, Israel is now facing the primary problem of finding an exit strategy for the operation, an expert said.

The operation, dubbed Cast Lead, entered its sixth day on

Thursday. According to Palestinian sources, the offensive beginning Saturday has

so far killed over 400 people and injured over 2,000 others.

Palestinian official: Israeli

offensive so far leaves 400 dead, 2,000 wounded

GAZA, Jan. 1 (Chinese media) -- The Israeli attacks on the Gaza

Strip continued on Thursday for the sixth day in a row, with warplanes striking

at more targets in the Hamas-controlled territory.

Mu'awia Hassanien, a Palestinian health emergency

official, said the offensive had so far killed 400 Palestinians and left 2,000

wounded. Full story

Poll: most Israeli favor continuing

Gaza offensive without ground operation

JERUSALEM, Jan. 1 (Chinese media) -- A majority of Israelis are

in favor of continuing the ongoing airstrikes on the Gaza Strip without

launching a ground maneuver that might endanger Israeli soldiers, found a poll

released Thursday.

Results of the survey, conducted by local daily Ha'aretz

and polling company Dialog, showed that 52 percent of the respondents stand

behind the Israeli army in its aerial assaults against the Gaza-ruling Hamas

movement.Full story

Palestinian rocket-fire into Israel

goes on despite raids

GAZA, Jan. 1 (Chinese media) -- Palestinian militants on Thursday

continued firing rockets into Israel despite constant Israeli bombing of the

Gaza Strip.

Ezz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of

Islamic Hamas movement, claimed responsibility for launching tens of rockets

into Israel since Thursday morning, including Soviet-made Grad missiles. Full story

China calls for immediate cease-fire

in Gaza

BEIJING, Dec. 30 (Chinese media) -- China is deeply concerned at

the current situation in Gaza,and hopes parties involved could immediately halt

the armed conflict, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said here on

Tuesday.

China is deeply concerned over the ongoing armed

conflict in Gaza, Qin said at a regular press conference. Full story

UN chief: Continued violence in and

around Gaza "unacceptable"

UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 29 (Chinese media) -- UN Chief Ban Ki-moon

said on Monday that he was deeply alarmed by the current escalation of violence

in and around Gaza, and that such continued violence is "unacceptable." Full story