Bush: Cease-fire needs no-rockets facet

WASHINGTON, Jan. 12 (UPI) -- Any sustainable cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza must require that Hamas stop firing rockets, U.S. President George Bush said Monday.

"I'm for a sustainable cease-fire and a definition of a sustainable cease-fire is that Hamas stops firing rockets into Israel," Bush said during his final news conference of his presidency. "And there will not be a sustainable cease-fire if they continue firing rockets."

Another element of a successful cease-fire would be for Egypt to act to stop the smuggling arms into Gaza via tunnels between the strip and Egypt, and pressuring other countries to stop supplying arms to Hamas, which controls Gaza.

Israel began its military offensive in Gaza Dec. 27 with the stated purpose of ending the firing of rockets into Israel by Hamas militants.

"I happen to believe the choice is Hamas's to make," he said.

Israel has a right to defend itself, he said, adding he hoped leaders "would be mindful of innocent folks and they would help expedite deliver of humanitarian aid."

Efforts to create a two-state solution in the Middle East have been in the works since 2002, Bush noted, with Israel and Lebanon accepting it as the best avenue toward peace.

The effort has been "compromised by (the) fact people are willing to murder to stop the advance of freedom," he said.