President George W. Bush believes the first steps in any cease-fire in the violence in the Mideast will require the Islamic militant group Hamas to agree to stop firing rockets into Israel, AP cited the White House as saying today. From his ranch in Crawford, Texas, Bush called Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert for the first time since the conflict escalated between Israel and Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip. "I think President Bush thinks that Hamas needs to stop firing rockets, and that is what will be the first step in a cease-fire", White House deputy press secretary Gordon Johndroe told reporters covering the president's stay in Texas.
