CRI听力： Rice, Israeli FM Discuss Israeli's Decision of Defining Gaza as "Hostile Entity"

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged Israel on Wednesday to reconsider its decision to declare the Gaza Strip an "enemy entity," warning that any cut-off of vital services would violate international law and punish the already suffering civilian population.

His statement was read by UN spokesperson, Michele Montas.

"The secretary general said that he is very concerned that a decision taken today by the Israeli government to declare the Gaza Strip an "enemy entity" and its announced intent to interrupt essential services, such as electricity and fuel, to a civilian population. Such a step would be contrary to Israel's obligations towards the civilian population under international, humanitarian and human rights law".

Israel's Security Cabinet declared the Gaza Strip a "hostile entity" on Wednesday and said it would cutoff power and fuel supplies to the strip. Defending the policy, Israeli Foreign Minister said that Israel withdrew from the Gaza strip two years ago, hoping that could lead to the establishment of a Palestinian state, but only get almost daily rocket attacks in return.

"Our decisions today are declaring that Gaza strip is a hostile territory and the meaning is that even though when it comes to humanitarian needs, we have our own responsibility. On the other hand, all the needs which are more than humanitarian needs, will not be supplied by Israel to Gaza strip. We do hope that the situation in Gaza Strip will change in the future, and also the Palestinians understand that supporting these kinds of terrorists is not going to help them."

Earlier on Wednesday, Visiting US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said in Jerusalem that the United States "will not abandon the innocent Palestinians in Gaza", but she said that Gaza - ruled by the militant Hamas group - is a "hostile entity to the United States as well".

Hamas and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' government have both condemned the Israeli Security Cabinet's decision.