[April 24, 2014]WASHINGTON (Reuters) — The United
States would have to reconsider its assistance to the Palestinians if
Islamist group Hamas and the Palestinian Liberation Organization form a
government together, a senior U.S. administration official said on
Thursday.
Gaza-based Hamas — which is listed by the United States as a
terrorist organization — and President Mahmoud Abbas's West
Bank-based PLO announced a unity pact on Wednesday, complicating
U.S.-brokered peace talks with Israel that Washington is already
struggling to extend past an April 29 deadline.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had warned Abbas against
pursuing reconciliation with Hamas, convened his security cabinet to
discuss Israel's next moves.
"Any Palestinian government must unambiguously and explicitly commit
to non-violence, recognition of the state of Israel, and acceptance
of previous agreements and obligations between the parties," the
U.S. official said, listing terms Hamas has long rejected.
"If a new Palestinian government is formed, we will assess it based
on its adherence to the stipulations above, its policies and
actions, and will determine any implications for our assistance
based on U.S. law," the official said, speaking to Reuters on
condition of anonymity.
The move, coming after a long line of failed efforts to reconcile
after seven years of internal bickering, envisions a unity
government within five weeks and national elections six months
later.
However providing U.S. aid to a unity government that includes Hamas
would be assistance to a group the United States lists as a
terrorist organization.
Both the United States and Israel greeted the announcement of the
unity pact with dismay.
Israel, whose government includes ministers opposed to the creation
of a Palestinian state, canceled a session of talks with the
Palestinians that had been scheduled for Wednesday, and the State
Department said the unity move could derail peace efforts.
"We are following reports of Palestinian reconciliation efforts,"
the U.S. official who spoke on Thursday said.
"We have been clear about the principles that must guide a
Palestinian government in order for it to play a constructive role
in achieving peace and building an independent Palestinian state."
Asked whether the reconciliation moves would incur promised U.S.
sanctions, PLO Deputy Secretary Yasser Abed Rabo told Palestinian
radio it was too soon to penalize a government that had yet to be
formed.
"There's no need for the Americans to get ahead of themselves over
this. What happened in Gaza in the last two days is just a first
step which we welcome and want to reinforce," he said.
"But this step shouldn't be exaggerated, that an agreement for
reconciliation has been completely reached... We need to watch the
behavior of Hamas on many details during the coming days and weeks
on forming a government and other things."
Hamas, which won a Palestinian election in 2006, wrested control of
the Gaza Strip from forces loyal to Abbas in 2007. Questions of
sovereignty over the territory, the composition of a unity
government and the future of Hamas security forces are main
stumbling blocks to a unity government.
(Reporting by Matt Spetalnick and Mark Felsenthal in Washington and
Noah Browning in Ramallah; editing by Jeremy Gaunt)
