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Olmert to Rice: Hamas must 'be kept out of the game'
During his meeting with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert stressed, according to Israeli officials, that Hamas must "be kept out of the game."

Further, Olmert articulated Israel's concern about transferring security control over West Bank cities to the PA before adequate security guarantees could be provided.

This was Rice's first visit here since Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip in June. Olmert spelled out the various moves Israel has taken to bolster PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, including releasing frozen tax revenue, releasing security prisoners, granting amnesty to 180 fugitives, providing humanitarian assistance to Gaza and increasing security cooperation.

Rice arrived in Jerusalem from Jeddah, where she met with the Saudi leadership in an effort to win a committment of Saudi participation in the upcoming Mideast peace conference. At a press conference with Rice and US Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal said, "When we get an invitation from the minister [Rice] to attend, when this takes place, we will study it and we will be keen to attend."
Posted by: Fred 2007-08-02
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=195110