Rice keeping eyes on Gaza

From NBC's Libby Leist Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has spoken to 12 foreign officials about the crisis in Gaza since Friday and has briefed President-elect Obama regularly, the State Department said today. The Bush Administration has refused to call for an immediate end to the violence as other nations have. Instead, State Department spokesman Gordon Duguid told reporters the U.S. holds Hamas responsible "for their policies of confrontation" and called on the rockets into Israel to stop. "The U.S. is working for a ceasefire that will be fully respected. That means the ceasefire must be durable and sustainable," Duguid said. Rice's calls since Friday include Israeli Prime Minister Olmert , Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak , UN Secretary General Ban , and five calls to Israeli Foreign Minister Livni. ...( read more ) (link)