[Changleen]

...is really interesting. Pay attention.

Abbas to resign if Hamas fails to work with foreign powers

· Palestinian president seeks deal on new cabinet
· Concerns over withdrawal of essential funding

Chris McGreal in Gaza City
Monday January 30, 2006
The Guardian

The Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, has threatened to resign unless Hamas agrees to a government and policies that can win international recognition and continued foreign aid.

A source close to the Palestinian leader said Mr Abbas, who is leader of the Fatah party defeated in last week's general election, has drafted a resignation letter and warned he will submit it if talks with Hamas do not produce an administration that can work with foreign governments.

The two sides have reached broad agreement on the shape of an administration, with Hamas taking cabinet posts relevant to its domestic reform agenda and other parties controlling positions such as foreign affairs and security.

But there remain obstacles over the future of Hamas's armed wing and its insistence that it will not recognise Israel, which are major blocks to foreign cooperation and negotiations.

The source said the US secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, called Mr Abbas after the Hamas victory last week and asked him not to resign. But his future may in part be decided by what Ms Rice and Russian, European and UN officials decide in London today at a meeting to discuss a response to the Hamas victory. The US and the EU, the largest contributors of aid to the Palestinians, have warned that they may withhold funds.

The acting Israeli prime minister, Ehud Olmert, spoke to a number of world leaders over the weekend to seek assurances that they would not deal with Hamas until it renounced its aim of destroying Israel. "Israel ascribes great importance to the formation of a united international position that will make it clear to the Palestinians that under no circumstances can we either accept nor countenance a PA part or all of which is composed of an armed organisation that calls for the destruction of the state of Israel," he said.

In Damascus the exiled political head of Hamas, Khaled Meshal, said his organisation would adopt a "very realistic approach". But he said Hamas would not bow to pressure to recognise Israel.

"The Oslo accords are over and buried, and everyone has already eulogised them. But we have a [Palestinian] Authority that was established on the basis of Oslo. We will act in keeping with that fact with great realism, but which will not be in contradiction of our people's rights," he said.

Ziad Abu Amr, an independent Palestinian MP tipped to be the next foreign minister, described the US and Israel as "making it difficult for Hamas".

"The international community deals with Syria. Syria doesn't have a peace treaty with Israel and it doesn't recognise Israel. But it hasn't fired a bullet at Israel in 30 years. People don't conclude peace treaties or recognise each other before settling their political differences," he said.

Diplomats say they do not believe donors will immediately halt aid after investing more than £3.5bn in the PA since it was established 11 years ago. But there is concern at the consequences should funds be cut. The PA is already struggling to find $100m to pay its 137,000 employees next week, including 34,000 teachers and 9,000 medical workers. The World Bank estimates that 685,000 people are dependent on wages from the authority. They also include 70,000 members of the various security forces whose future is among the issues being hammered out.

Hamas wants to integrate its fighters into the PA forces, and to see them remodelled as a Palestinian army. But it is not demanding direct control, in part so that it can assuage foreign concerns by saying it has rid itself of its militia.

 

[blue]

Why does the Western world leghump the Israelis so much? They give them no money, they provide nothing but trouble...

Religion is the opiate of the masses?

 

[Changleen]

Sometimes it's handy to have a violent, morally bankrupt, armed religious fanatic as a doorman to your hemisphere.

 

[fluff]

Sometimes it's handy to have a violent, morally bankrupt, armed religious fanatic as a doorman to your hemisphere.

Was that Tammy Wynette?

 

[valve bouncer]

There's a real good game of high stakes poker going on right now as the EU have threatened to pull their aid if Hamas don't get with the program and recognise Israel and lay down their arms. Hamas aren't committing to anything just yet but I'll reckon they will do it as the aid nations really have the Palestine Authority by the short and curlys. Best thing Israel can do now is stay out of it.

 

[Changleen]

The states has threatened to pull their aid too right?

As you say Hamas are 'ruminating'. I bet they'll bend a bit, but I doubt they'll relinquish all their 'cards' at once. Maybe they'll give them up for a little more aid...