March 3 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice left for the Middle East on Monday to try to salvage U.S.-sponsored peace talks derailed by Hamas rocket attacks on Israeli towns and Israel's military response in Gaza.

Here are some comments from U.S. officials and presidential candidates:

WHITE HOUSE SPOKESMAN GORDON JOHNDROE

"The Palestinian people have a choice to make. It's a choice between terrorism or a choice between a political solution that leads to a Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with Israel.

"The number one thing that has to happen is Hamas has got to stop targeting Israeli citizens with rockets. It must stop. The parties then need to get back to the negotiating table and have discussions."

STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN TOM CASEY

"All this points out the need for there to be progress in the negotiations and ultimately have a two-state solution. That's the answer to the violence that we've seen."

(Rice is scheduled to meet this week with Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.)

ILLINOIS SEN. BARACK OBAMA, DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE

"You can't negotiate with somebody who does not recognize the right of a country to exist so I understand why Israel doesn't meet with Hamas. I do think it is important to us to try to jump-start the peace process. It has been under enormous strain of late."

NEW YORK SEN. HILLARY CLINTON, DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE

"Israel has the right to defend its citizens.

"I call on Hamas to stop this irresponsible aggression immediately, which would enable Israeli and Palestinian civilians to return to normal life.

"The Bush administration should have been taking a more active role in bringing international pressure on Hamas to stop its attacks."

ARIZONA SEN. JOHN MCCAIN, REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE

"I believe that any nation has the right to respond to attacks. We obviously want a cease-fire. We want negotiations.

"I would condemn Hamas and call on them to stop their attacks on Israel."

(Compiled by JoAnne Allen in Washington; editing by Bill Trott)

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