GAZA CITY, 20 April 2006 — Saying that dignity was more important than aid in dollars, Palestinian Premier Ismail Haniyeh insisted yesterday that his Hamas-led government would not renounce violence despite mounting Western pressure over its failure to condemn a Tel Aviv bombing.

“We reject all pressure on our people and government to forego our basic rights. We will not touch the rights of the Palestinian people whatever the circumstances,” Haniyeh said during talks with police and security officers.

“Your visit is proof that this country is more important than money, that dignity is more important than dollars. Today you prove that dignity is the most important thing,” he said, addressing his visitors. The prime minister’s defiance was later backed by six militant groups, including Hamas’ own armed wing, the Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades, at an outdoor news conference by gunmen in Gaza City that broke up only after the appearance of an Israeli helicopter.

The Hamas-led government faces financial meltdown, unable to pay the wages of the Palestinian Authority’s 164,700 staff, after Israel decided to continue withholding customs duties collected on its behalf, and the European Union and the United States suspended direct aid.

The money was frozen when Hamas resisted international calls to renounce violence, recognize Israel and abide by signed peace agreements after it won an upset victory in January parliamentary elections.

The foreign pressure has mounted since the Hamas-led government declined to condemn a bombing which killed nine people in Tel Aviv on Monday, the deadliest attack in 20 months.

Israel laid the blame fully on Hamas, even though the attack was claimed by its smaller rival Islamic Jihad, and revoked the residency cards of three Hamas MPs living in occupied East Jerusalem among other measures.

The Hamas MPs plan to appeal to Israel’s Supreme Court against Israel’s decision to revoke their residency rights, the Palestinian justice minister said yesterday.

The Palestinian justice minister, Ahmed Khaldi, said the Hamas government would back the four in their legal battle, in part because of what he said were Palestinian concerns that Israel is trying to establish a precedent and strip more Jerusalem Palestinians of their residency rights. France, which normally takes a sympathetic line toward the Palestinians, criticized the lack of condemnation from the Hamas-led government, as did the United Nations and the United States.

Neighboring Jordan also moved to distance itself from the group’s administration, canceling a planned visit by Foreign Minister Mahmoud Al-Zahar at the eleventh hour on the grounds that it had found a Hamas arms cache. The group reacted with fury to the accusation, calling it a “provocation” likely only to worsen relations with a key Arab broker in the Middle East peace process. “Hamas is very sorry that Jordan insists on being the only Arab party to deal with the movement and the Palestinian government in this negative way,” it said.

Five other armed groups joined Hamas’ military wing in backing the prime minister, including the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades. “We reject all forms of political blackmail in the form of political money,” a masked fighter read from a joint statement at the Gaza City gathering.

“We fully support the position of the elected government which rejects recognizing Israeli occupation. It is very important not to commit to any agreement that denies our people their rights or hurts the national interest.”

— With input from agencies