Israel will not recognize the new Palestinina unity government that was sworn in Saturday. Nineteen ministers voted in favor of rejection at Sunday morning's weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem Two ministers, Yuli Tamir and Raleb Majadle, both from the Labor Party, abstained.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says she will begin another trip to the Middle East late next week aimed at spurring Israeli-Palestinian dialogue. Rice held talks late Wednesday with visiting Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni. VOA's David Gollust reports from the State Department.

Russia's foreign minister says Hamas has promised to stop missile attacks and other violence against Israel, but still refuses to recognize that country, The Associated Press news agency reported Wednesday.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says Moscow will push for the lifting of an international aid embargo against the Palestinian Authority.

U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney made an unannounced visit today to Pakistan, where he went straight into security-related talks with Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf.

During a visit to Indonesia, the secretary-general of the Organization of Islamic Conference says a peaceful resolution to the conflict in the Middle East is the key to ending terrorism and Islamic extremism, and says Jakarta should use its seat on the United Nations Security Council to push for a peaceful resolution to the Middle East crisis.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Vice-Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Tzipi Livni today (in Davos, at World Economic Forum) reiterated their commitment to finding a two-state solution and to resuming long-stalled negotiations.

The United States said Wednesday Israel's plan to build a new settlement in the West Bank would violate Israeli obligations under the international Middle East peace road map. The State Department said U.S. diplomats are seeking an explanation from Israel. VOA's David Gollust reports from the State Department.