There is absolutely no humanitarian crisis in Gaza, given that Israel daily makes it possible to distribute humanitarian aid, but the problem is Hamas's call on people not to use breaks in hostilities for the distribution of aid, according to Israeli ambassador to Bulgaria Noah Gal-Gendler.

"This is what we call 'the CNN doctrine'," Gal-Gendler told a January 9 2009 news conference at Sofia Press, saying that Hamas was operating on the principle, "the more we suffer the better it is for us".

He said that Israel was studying the United Nations Security Council resolution of the previous day calling for a truce in Gaza, and would do whatever was best for the state of Israel.

Asked whether the rise of anti-Semitism in the UK reported in the British media after the Israeli action against Hamas had been duplicated in Bulgaria, Gal-Gendler said that the phenomenon had been seen in several parts of Europe but he was not aware of it happening in Bulgaria.

To a question about the three protests held in recent weeks in Bulgaria against the Israeli military operation, Gal-Gendler said that the demonstrations - in Sofia, Madan and Pazardzhik - had been peaceful and part of a democratic process, as well as orientated to finding a constructive solution, "and we respect it".

"It is not a war against Palestine, it is not a war against Islam, it is a war against a terror organisation on our shores," he said.

He said that Israel could not negotiate with Hamas because Hamas did not recognise the state of Israel and would do everything to destroy negotiations with the Palestinians. As to the peace process, Gal-Gendler said "we feel can achieve something in the coming months".

"We have nothing against Palestinians.  They are our neighbours, and will be our good neighbours when we have peace. All moderate states in the region detest Hamas - we look at them as a terrorist organisation, a real risk to peace," he said.

"No one wants a Hamastan or an Al-Qaeda state on the shores of the Mediterranean."

Gal-Gendler said that the moment that the current crisis was at an end, Israel's peace efforts would continue.

Israel was very sorry about any innocent civilians being killed. "We do our utmost not to kill civilians," he said, but Hamas was using heavily populated areas and places like hospitals, mosques and schools as bases for attacks. Israel used precise weaponry and the "knock on the roof" technique - the firing of non-lethal weapons - to avoid civilian casualities.

He said that Hamas had rejected attempts by Egypt and by Palestinian authority president Mahmoud Abbas, to whom he referred as Abu Mazen, to continue the six-month ceasefire.

In the past eight years, Israel had been hit by 6000 rockets and mortars, with targets including schools and kindergartens. In taking action to defend itself, Gal-Gendler said, "I don't know a single country in the world that would behave differently. I am surprised that we waited eight years."

He said that the biggest achievement of the future in Gaza would be to bring to an end the smuggling operations. Smuggling, through tunnels and other means, involves imports of weapons and other contraband.

"It will be a joint effort with the Egyptians, as the sovereign power, the United States and the European Union as the main international players, and of course Israel and moderate Arab states. We will have success," he said.