Duly warned. Haniyeh
Photo: AP
Quartet threatens to withhold Hamas aid
U.S., EU, Russia, United Nations say Hamas-led Palestinian government must recognize Israel, seek peace talks if it wants to be guaranteed continued aid. New PA Foreign Minister Zahar: No plans to negotiate with Israel
The quartet of the U.S., EU, Russia and the United Nations on Thursday warned that the Hamas-led Palestinian government must recognize Israel and seek peace talks if it wants to be guaranteed continued aid.
“The Quartet concurred that there inevitably will be an effect on direct assistance to that government and its ministries” if those conditions are not met, the four mediators for Middle East peace said in a joint statement released from Brussels.
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“There will be some disruptions unless there are movements” on the Palestine side, said an EU diplomat, who spoke on condition on anonymity, due to the sensitivity of the issue.
The new Palestinian Foreign Minister Mahmoud Zahar has said the new Palestinian Authority government would not give in to international pressure to change its ways and that it had no plans to negotiate with Israel. He also condemned a decision by Canada to cut off aid to the new Hamas-led government, shortly after it was sworn in Wednesday.
The Quartet called on the new government “To commit to the principles of nonviolence, recognition of Israel, and acceptance of previous agreements and obligations.” That includes the internationally backed “Roadmap” for peace, drafted by the quartet group, meant to draw up a final peace accord between the two sides.
“The Quartet recalled its view that future assistance to any new government would be reviewed by donors against that government’s commitment to the principles” it had set out, the statement said.
‘Quartet encouraged continued humanitarian assistance’
The EU diplomat said the statement did create some room for maneuver for the Palestinians, and that no action on aid was necessary before an April 10 meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg, where they were supposed to make a decision on cutting off future aid.
The EU has stressed that the needy will continue to receive basic humanitarian aid.
After assessing the new government program, the four “Noted with grave concern that the new government has not committed to the principles spelled out” earlier this year.
They lauded the call of PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas for the new government to commit to peaceful coexistence. EU leaders have been at a crossroads in their dealings with Palestinians, who rely greatly on European aid but whose government is now led by a group which is on terrorist lists of both the EU and the U.S. The fate of the EU’s largest foreign aid program - worth 500 million euros (more than USD 600 million) - has been in the balance since Hamas scored a landslide parliamentary election victory on Jan. 25.
Since then, the EU has been at pains to see how its aid can remain a lifeline for 4 million destitute Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank without having to deal with the incoming Hamas government and keeping aid funds out of its coffers.
The four partners did back continued humanitarian assistance.
“The Quartet encouraged continued humanitarian assistance to meet the basic needs of the Palestinian people,” the statement said.
