Livni addresses annual security conference

(2 Feb 2009) 1. Wide of participants in "Herzliya Conference" sitting in hall 2. Wide of Israel's foreign minister and head of Kadima party Tzipi Livni going up to podium 3. Cut away to cameraman 4. SOUNDBITE: (Hebrew) Israel's foreign minister and head of Kadima party Tzipi Livni: "Israel must combine military force along with diplomatic initiative. Military force against terrorism and terror must be fought with force and lots of force. Therefore we will strike Hamas. That's why we set out on the Cast Lead operation. That's why we won't make deals with Hamas because Israel makes deals in negotiations and Israel only promotes dialogue with those that accept Israel's right to exist and who doesn't use terror against it." 5. Wide of hall 6. SOUNDBITE (Hebrew) Israel's foreign minister and head of Kadima party Tzipi Livni: "When we look around we suddenly see additional countries, Arab and Islamic countries. In their eyes Israel is no longer the enemy and understand that Iran is their primary enemy." 7. End shot of crowd clapping STORYLINE: The Israeli foreign minister pledged on Monday to keep hitting Hamas as long as it attacks Israel, ruling out negotiations with the militant Islamic rulers of Gaza just eight days before national elections in which she is running for prime minister. Tzipi Livni's tough statement came as a Hamas delegation discussed terms for a long-term truce with Israel through Egyptian mediators, building on a two-week informal cease-fire that followed Israel's bruising offensive in Gaza. "Terror must be fought with force and lots of force," Livni said. �Therefore we will strike Hamas.� More than a year of U.S.-backed negotiations between Israel and Abbas' Western-backed government have failed to make discernible progress. The Hamas seizure of Gaza has complicated peace efforts by exposing the weakness of the Abbas regime. Israel, too, has not been in a position to finalise a deal because of its own political turmoil. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert resigned in September because of corruption allegations, but Livni could not form a new coalition government, forcing the election. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...