WASHINGTON, Feb. 16 (UPI) -- U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says her Mideast mission aims at shoring up Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas while lessening Hamas control.
Rice, who leaves this weekend for a meeting Monday with Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, said she also wted to prod Arab leaders, with whom she will meet later, to recognize Israel as progress is made with the Palestinians.
Rice said things were "complicated" by Abbas' unity deal with his Hamas rivals, which would bring his Fatah party into the government, and his request that Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh assemble the next cabinet, the Washington Post reported. Rice told reporters in Washington Abbas is a "mainstream" leader while Hamas is an "extremist" organization that needs to be isolated.
She said the Palestinian people need to "know what is at stake."
Hamas won control by capturing the Palestinian legislative elections. The group refuses to recognize Israel as a nation.
