a determined people, fighting for what they believe

from an article 'Palestinian Official Criticizes U.S.', Palestinian Foreign Minister Mahmoud Zahar says:

"Is the Canadian state willing to starve the Palestinian people while the Israelis are committing major crimes against Palestinian industry, Palestinian society, the Palestinian economy, occupying their land?" he said. "Is this is a moral principle according to which Israel should be blessed and supported by the Canadian government and people?"

Palestinian Official Criticizes U.S.
Mar 30, SARAH EL DEEB, Associated Press Writer

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip

Newly installed Palestinian Foreign Minister Mahmoud Zahar said the United States is biased toward Israel, guilty of crimes against Muslims and Arabs and is widening the rift with the Middle East.

Zahar, considered one of the more hard-line officials in the Palestinians' new Hamas-led government, also said his group would not cave in to international pressure to change its ways and had no plans to negotiate with Israel.

Zahar, responding to a statement by President Bush that Washington would not give aid to a Hamas-led government unless it changed its extremist policies, said those comments were in line with American support for Israel in the United Nations, and its massive aid to Israel.

"America is committing big crimes against the Arab and Islamic countries," Zahar told The Associated Press late Wednesday at his Gaza home. "This new decision will intensify the gap between the American people, American interests and the Middle East in general."

He also said the United States is spending $3 billion a year "to expand settlements and to confiscate our rights and our land," he said, referring to U.S. aid to Israel.

The United States lists Hamas as a terrorist organization and is by law forbidden to deal with such groups.

The United States and Israel have said they will not deal with Hamas unless it recognizes Israel's right to exist, renounces terrorism and respects all past commitments by the Palestinian Authority.

On Thursday, the United States, United Nations, European Union and Russia warned that a Hamas-led Palestinian government could lose aid unless it recognizes Israel.

Canada cut off aid to the Palestinians' new Hamas government shortly after it was sworn in Wednesday, an action Zahar condemned as immoral.

"Is the Canadian state willing to starve the Palestinian people while the Israelis are committing major crimes against Palestinian industry, Palestinian society, the Palestinian economy, occupying their land?" he said. "Is this is a moral principle according to which Israel should be blessed and supported by the Canadian government and people?"

Zahar said Hamas would welcome aid from those wishing to help Palestinians overcome the Israeli occupation, "but if they are going to give this money to twist the neck of our national interests, we are not going to accept that."

He said his group could have contacts with Israel and the United States on day-to-day issues such as health and the environment, but "we have no intentions to make any meeting with any country at the expense of our national interests."

Zahar said Hamas, which swept Jan. 25 Palestinian parliamentary elections, would seek new international alliances beyond its traditional Arab friends.

"The new channels will be Africa, Asian countries, including China, and the South American continent, for assistance politically and also financially," he said.

Despite his job title, it is unclear how much real influence Zahar will have on Palestinian foreign policy. A 2003 amendment to the Palestinian constitution gives the president sole power to appoint or dismiss foreign service officers and to accredit foreign envoys.

Incumbent President Mahmoud Abbas, whose Fatah Party opposes Hamas, favors negotiations with Israel and has declared his acceptance of the U.S.-backed "road map" for Middle East peace, which envisages an independent Palestinian state, coexisting in peace with Israel.

In Jerusalem on Thursday, top U.S. envoys and Israeli officials met to discuss the new Hamas-led government.

White House official Elliot Abrams and Assistant Secretary of State David Welch met with Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and were to meet later Thursday with acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz, U.S. Embassy spokesman Stewart Tuttle said.

The talks were expected to focus on the repercussions of the new Hamas government and issues related to the peace plan, Tuttle said.