RAMALLAH, West Bank, Feb. 18 (UPI) -- U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, in the West Bank Sunday, told Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas a new unity government must recognize Israel.
Rice and Abbas met in Ramallah for more than two hours Sunday, CNN reported. The secretary of state told Abbas that in order to receive international aid, the unity government would have to accept Israel and renounce terrorism, CNN reported.
Hamas has refused to negotiate its stance against Israel, costing the Palestinian government millions of dollars' worth of international aid and stalling peace talks between the Palestinian Authority and Israel, CNN reported.
Rice, Abbas and Israeli leaders are scheduled to meet Monday in an effort to restart the peace process.
