Diplomatic efforts continue to end Gaza bombing

02/02/09 19:59 CET

world news

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While Israel renews its attacks on Gaza, the US Middle East envoy, George Mitchell has been reviewing his softly softly approach to Middle East peace with France’s Foreign Minister, Bernard Kouchner following his trip to Israel, the West Bank and Egypt.

It is understood, Mitchell stressed the need for more to be done to help consolidate the truce and address the humanitarian crisis. They have also been taking stock of facts in Cairo during talks between President Hosni Mubarak and the Palestinian leader, Mahmoud Abbas. For its part, Hamas leaders have been in Tehran, one of its main backers. But a breakthrough now seems all the more difficult after Abbas demanded that Hamas recognise the PLO as the legitimate representative of Palestinian people as a precondition for reconciliation talks.More about: Bernard Kouchner, France, Israel, USA

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Syrian bloodshed spreads to Aleppo

The upsurge in violence in Syria has spread to the northern city of Aleppo, where soldiers and civilians have been killed in separate explosions, according to state TV. It said a building used by military intelligence and a security forces as a…