Israel undermines Rice push for peace talks

Israel has designated the Gaza Strip a “hostile territory” and threatened to cut back vital supplies of fuel and electricity, drawing Palestinian wrath and putting visiting US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice squarely in the middle of the two sides’ latest face-off.

Rice, in the region on a peacemaking mission, had an early meeting today with Israeli President Shimon Peres before heading to the West Bank to talk with Palestinian leaders, who are furious with the Israeli move, designed to force Gaza militants to halt their rocket fire on Israel.