SAO PAULO, Oct. 5 (UPI) -- U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said he hopes Israel will keep its Gaza military offensive "proportionate to the risk," Voice of America reported Tuesday.
Speaking to reporters while flying to Brazil, Powell did not criticize the Israeli offensive ordered by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon aimed at stopping Palestinian rocket attacks against Israeli towns.
"I hope it does not expand, and I hope that whatever (Sharon) does is proportionate to the threat that Israel is facing, and I hope that this operation can come to a conclusion quickly," Powell said.
He said he doesn't believe the operation necessarily contradicts Sharon's planned "disengagement" from Gaza, and hopes that process will go forward under the international "Road Map."
Meanwhile, Israeli security sources said Israel and the Palestinian Authority were trying to work out a deal that would end the offensive in return for stopping militant rocket attacks on Israel.
Officials said the talks began late Monday through an intermediary, who was not identified.
