Olmert to Clinton: Israel will do all it can to prevent Gaza smuggling

Shortly after Hilary Clinton officially took the helm at the U.S. State Department on Thursday, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert vowed that Israel would do everything it could to prevent the smuggling of weapons into Gaza.

During Israel's recent offensive against Hamas in Gaza, the Israel Defense Forces destroyed dozens of tunnels used for the smuggling of arms from Egypt into Gaza.

"Israel will do everything in order to fight terror," Olmert told Clinton in a phone conversation. One of Israel's goals in the 3-week campaign was the destruction of the Hamas' arsenal of rockets, which the group has used to terrorize southern Israel for the past eight years.

"Israel is interested in advancing the peace process in the Middle East and intends on investing a great effort in granting humanitarian aid to the residents of the Gaza Strip," the prime minister added.

Olmert also said to Clinton: "Your capabilities, your talents and your experience will come to fruition in the role."

Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni also spoke with the new U.S. secretary of state on Thursday. Livni told Clinton that the international community must not grant Hamas any legitimacy.

The foreign minister said Israel is involved in humanitarian efforts to reconstruct the Gaza Strip, which has been ravaged by Israel's recent offensive against Hamas. But she told Clinton that Israel strongly opposes Hamas receiving a leading role in those efforts.

"Hamas is the enemy of peace in the region," Livni said in a phone conversation with Clinton. "It threatens anyone who wants quiet in the Middle East."

She also told the new secretary of state that the Israel Defense Forces had dealt Hamas a harsh blow in the 3-week operation.

On the issue of Iran's nuclear program, which Israel and the U.S. believe is aimed at building atomic weapons, the pair agreed to maintain close cooperation on the issue and to work together in order to pile more pressure onto Tehran.

At the State Department earlier Thursday, Clinton promised a new era in U.S. diplomacy but tough times ahead.

About 1,000 employees crammed the entryway to the department and cheered robustly when Clinton arrived for her first full day as secretary of state.

"I will do all that I can working with you to make it abundantly clear that robust diplomacy and effective development are the best long-term tools for securing America's future," Clinton said.

"I believe with all my heart that this is a new era for America," she said.

Later on Thursday, President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden were due to address State Department employees on the challenges ahead, which include Iran and North Korea's nuclear programs as well as the Arab-Israeli conflict.

Waiting for Clinton in her office was a letter of welcome and advice from Condoleezza Rice, who held the job under President George W. Bush and who came under criticism from staff for not doing enough to increase funding for diplomats.

Clinton, who narrowly lost the contest with Obama to be the presidential nominee for the Democratic Party last year, told employees there were challenging times ahead.

"This is not going to be easy. I don't want anybody to leave this extraordinarily warm reception thinking 'Oh good, this is gonna be great'. This is gonna be hard," she added.

Clinton won Senate approval on Wednesday despite Republican concerns about the foreign fund-raising activities of her husband, former President Bill Clinton.