GAZA CITY, 29 January 2006 — Hamas yesterday rejected as blackmail a Western threat to cut financial aid to Palestinians if the group did not renounce violence. Hamas leaders said the Palestinian resistance movement would not disarm, would instead raise a Palestinian army from armed militias to protect Palestinian territories and people and honor existing accords and treaties.

Armed supporters of Fatah, the party defeated in Wednesday’s legislative election, stormed Parliament buildings here and in Ramallah while some policemen joined them.

“This aid cannot be a sword over the heads of the Palestinian people and will not be material to blackmail our people, to blackmail Hamas and the resistance,” senior Hamas leader Ismael Haniyeh said.

He added that Hamas, sworn to Israel’s destruction, was committed to keeping its arms and fighting Israel.

Haniyeh was speaking after the United States threatened to cut back its $234 million in aid earmarked for the Palestinians this year because Hamas was expected to form a new Palestinian government.

“They’ve got to get rid of that arm of their party which is armed and violent and secondly, they’ve got to get rid of that part of their platform that says they want to destroy Israel,” US President George W. Bush said in an interview with CBS news.

EU officials have also indicated that a refusal by Hamas to renounce violence and recognize Israel could have consequences in its relations with a Hamas-run Palestinian Authority.

The EU is the biggest donor to the Palestinian Authority, with aid of $612 million last year.

“Hamas has many alternatives (for aid), there is much good within our people and we have the Arab world and we also have all those who love the oppressed peoples in the world and who stand beside us,” Haniyeh said.

A Hamas lawmaker, Yehya Musa, said the movement was considering whether to send a delegation to tour Arab, Islamic and some European countries to explain the group’s position.

Haniyeh said the Palestinians would only disarm and end the armed struggle when Israel ended its occupation of land the Palestinians seek for an independent state.

“Arms and resistance are issues that are linked to the presence of the occupation and as long as occupation exists the Palestinian people have the right to defend themselves and resist the occupation,” he said.

In Damascus, the group’s political leader said Hamas was ready to merge armed factions including its military wing to form an army to defend the Palestinian people. Khaled Meshaal also told a news conference Hamas would honor commitments made by the Palestinian Authority to Israel, provided they serve Palestinian interests.

“We are willing to form an army like every country... an army to defend our people against aggression,” Meshaal said.

He said the proposed new force would not let its agenda be dictated by Israel’s security needs.

Asked whether Hamas would consider amending its charter and respect agreements the Palestinian Authority had signed with Israel, Meshaal said: “We will honor our Palestinian commitments provided that it serves our people. We will not recognize the Israeli occupation but we are realistic and we know things are done gradually... Being against occupation does not mean I can cancel Israel in moments.”

Thousands of gunmen from Fatah took over Parliament in the West Bank city of Ramallah for about 20 minutes, shouting demands from the roof before descending peacefully. Fatah militants and police also seized the Parliament building in the Gaza Strip. The protesters demanded that Fatah leaders resign. They also aimed to dissuade the party from any idea of sharing power with Hamas or letting it control security forces.

— Additional input from agencies