WASHINGTON, 15 February 2006 — The United States yesterday admitted having discussed cuts in US aid if Hamas does not renounce violence but denied any “plot” with Israel to topple the Hamas-led Palestinian government. The US also said it did not seek fresh Palestinian elections.
“There’s no plot,” said White House spokesman Scott McClellan. “We have the same conversations with the government of Israel that we have with Arab governments and European governments and others.”
Since the Islamist organization won a landslide victory in Palestinian legislative elections, the United States has publicly and privately warned of possible cuts in US assistance unless the group abandons violence.
McClellan was responding to a New York Times report that the United States and Israel had discussed ways to destabilize the newly elected Hamas-led Palestinian government with an eye on forcing a new vote.
The daily, citing unnamed Israeli officials and Western diplomats, said the plan was to starve the Palestinian Authority of money and global contacts in order to force its president, Mahmoud Abbas, to call a new election.
“That’s not the case,” said McClellan. “There is a free and fair election that took place. The Palestinian people spoke very clearly and we have stated what our views are when it comes to the election.”
Hamas has somewhat toned down its rhetoric since defeating the mainstream Fatah movement of Abbas in the polls, but has also vowed to continue to fight Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands. “Hamas has a choice to make. If it wants to realize better relations with the international community, then Hamas must renounce violence, recognize Israel, and disarm,” McClellan told reporters.
But McClellan renewed Washington’s warning that it may cut aid to the Palestinians if Hamas does not renounce violence against Israel.
“Our policy and our views are very clear. We’ve made it clear that we do not and will not fund terrorist organizations. Hamas is a terrorist organization,” he said.
“We want a partner in peace, and you can’t have a partner in peace if their policy is one based on engaging in terrorism and violence and not recognizing the right of Israel to exist,” said McClellan.
“Palestinian officials, for years, have recognized Israel’s right to exist and worked in negotiation toward peace. If the Palestinians were to change that decade-old policy, then their relations with the international community would change as well,” he warned.
State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said US policy on Hamas was based on the public statement it issued last month with its partners in the diplomatic Quartet — the European Union, United Nations and Russia.
The statement, issued after talks in London, threatened a “review” of aid if Hamas did not forswear anti-Israeli violence, recognize the right of Israel to exist and uphold previous commitments made by the Palestinian Authority.
McCormack denied any intention to put a squeeze on the economically ailing Palestinian people so they would reject Hamas, insisting Washington would look at humanitarian aid on a case-by-case basis.
McCormack said the principles of the Quartet statement were “not subject to change” but left the door open for compromise solutions that could make Hamas rule more palatable.
Middle East analysts and commentators had evoked various possible scenarios, including the naming of an independent Palestinian prime minister or putting Abbas or others in the front-line of dealings with Israel.
— With input from agencies
