U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice appealed Tuesday for an end to fighting among Palestinian factions and said she is looking for ways to strengthen Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas in his standoff with Hamas radicals who control part of the Palestinian government.

"Innocent Palestinians are caught in the crossfire and we call on all parties to stop," Rice said of the worst Palestinian violence since March. "The Palestinians deserve calm."

On the nine-month political impasse in the Palestinian territories, Rice said Hamas has been unable to govern effectively and that Palestinians must find a way for their government to meet challenges outlined by world powers.

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Rice was meeting Tuesday in Cairo with eight Arab allies and was expected to ask them to shore up Abbas, at the expense of Hamas.

Haniyeh called on Arab states not to cooperate with Rice's efforts.

"It looks like Mrs. Rice is adopting the old practice of divide and conquer," Haniyeh told reporters in Gaza. "She wants to weaken the states and the nations of the region."

"We call on all of the Arab countries not to follow the American plans and not to adopt this policy that aimes to divide the region," Haniyeh said.

The American secretary of state was meeting with foreign ministers of eight Arab states, as part of an effort to bolster moderate Arab states in the region.

The purpose of the meeting is to seek ways of furthering the peace process in the region. It is expected that at the end of the mini-conference, the participants will issue a call for the renewal of the peace process between Israel and its neighbors along the lines of a Saudi Arabian initiative that promises Israel peace in return for its pullback to the 1967 lines.

Rice departed for Egypt Tuesday morning, headed for a meeting with President Hosni Mubarak and Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit.

The secretary of state began her tour of the Middle East on Tuesday with a stop in Saudi Arabia.

In a joint press conference with Rice, Saudi Foreign Minister prince Saud al-Faisal said the Saudi government has continued to support the Palestinian Authority, but does not take sides between Hamas and Abbas' Fatah Party.

He pressed the Saudi view that the Middle East's many conflicts trace to the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. He likened that conflict to a disease that weakens the body and makes it more susceptible to other ailments.

"We think it is a core problem that, if settled, would have an effect on all the other core problems," Saud said.

She told reporters accompanying her on the flight that she plans to discuss with King Abdullah ways of assisting Abbas and Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora.


On Wednesday, Rice will meet with Tanzim leaders in East Jerusalem, and then travel to Ramallah for an afternoon meeting with Abbas.

At the U.S. Consulate in East Jerusalem, Rice will meet with Hussein al-Sheikh and Kadura Fares. Also invited to the meeting will be members of the Palestinian parliament, Hanan Ashrawi and Mustafa Barghouti.

Following her meeting with Abbas, Rice will meet with Yasser Abed Rabbo, member of the PLO Executive Committee, and Fatah legislator Mohammed Dahlan, former security chief in Gaza.