Rice plea on Palestinian clashes

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US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has called for an end to the violence in the Palestinian territories.

Gaza and the West Bank have seen renewed fighting between security forces loyal to Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and a Hamas militia.

Ms Rice's plea came in Saudi Arabia at the start of a regional tour, which she says is aimed at rallying moderate forces in the region.

She is also visiting Egypt before Israel and the Palestinian territories.

In Cairo, Ms Rice was to meet the Egyptian foreign minister and other Arab allies.

It is her first visit to the region since the end of the month-long conflict between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah militants in August.

The US was criticised for not calling for an immediate end to the fighting.

'Innocent'

Ten Palestinians have been killed and more than 100 wounded since clashes between the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades and Hamas began on Sunday in Gaza.

President Bush may want to revive the peace process, but it is hard to see how <a href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/5398282.stm" class="">Rice courts moderate Arabs</a>

"Innocent Palestinians are caught in this violence," Ms Rice said.

She did not directly blame Hamas, but she said the Hamas government was unable to deliver for the Palestinian people - and could not represent a responsible government to the international community.

Hamas has repeatedly refused demands to recognise Israel, renounce violence and accept past peace agreements.

She urged "moderate Arab leaders" to lend their support to Palestinian Authority President Abbas instead.

Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal called for greater US efforts to restart the Middle East peace process.

He said the failure to address the plight of the Palestinians was one of the core problems of the region.