palestine's struggle

Hamas ready for int'l ME peace push
Afp, Gaza City, March 28, 2006

Incoming Palestinian prime minister Ismail Haniya pledged yesterday his Hamas government would spare no effort in striving for peace in the Middle East as MPs prepared to approve his cabinet line-up.

Haniya, whose Islamist movement has been behind dozens of suicide attacks during a five-year uprising, insisted the Palestinian people had the right to continue their "struggle" for independence but stressed his desire to enter negotiations with the international community to end the conflict with Israel.

And he also urged the United States, which considers Hamas a terrorist organisation, to alter its stance towards the Palestinians while rejecting threats by Washington and Brussels to slash funding unless his incoming administration executes a sea-change in its hardline platform.

"Our government will spare no effort to reach a just peace in the region, putting an end to the occupation and restoring out rights," Haniya told MPs.

"We have never been supporters of war, terrorism or bloodletting. Instead it is the Israeli occupation that waged all forms of terrorism against our people in chasing them out of their homeland, besieging it and starving it."

Israel has refused to have any dealings with the incoming administration and has already imposed a series of sanctions including travel restrictions, which forced Haniya to deliver the speech to the Ramallah-based parliament via video-link from its Gaza City branch.

Haniya was heavily critical of acting Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert's plan to unilaterally fix the Jewish state's final borders, saying it would "turn our country into isolated cantons", while also demanding an end to the Israeli occupation and dismantling of its West Bank barrier.

But while holding off any suggestion of negotiating with Israel, Haniya welcomed the prospect of continued international involvement in the peace process, in particular from the so-called Middle East quartet.

"Our government will be prepared to hold dialogue with the international quartet about the ways to end the conflict and install calm in the region," said Haniya.

The quartet -- the European Union, Russia, the United Nations and the United States -- is the sponsor of the roadmap peace plan which aims for the creation of an independent Palestinian state alongside a secure Israel.

The blueprint, which has made next to no progress since its launch three years ago, was rejected by Hamas, which refuses to acknowledge Israel's right to exist.

Both the United States and European Union have threatened to slash funding to the Palestinian Authority unless Hamas recognises Israel, commits itself to non-violence and respects past international agreements.

Despite the Palestinian Authority's reliance on foreign aid, Haniya said that there would be no caving in to outside pressure.

"The Palestinian people should not be punished for exercising their right to choose their leaders in free and democratic elections," Haniya said.

"Those who think that economic pressure is going to make our government collapse or undermine the determination of our people is very much mistaken."

However he also said his government would seek talks with all countries to ensure the continuation of aid, adding that all funds received would be spent "in complete transparency".

Washington has already asked the Palestinian Authority to return a multi-million dollar loan in the aftermath of Hamas's landslide election victory on January 25, but Haniya said it was the United States rather than Hamas needed to change its policy.

"We believe it is necessary for the United States to revise its policy with regard to the Palestinian people and to prove fair and responsible, and stop supporting the occupation and its policy of double standards so that peace, stability and prosperity can be established in the region," he said.

Given Hamas's majority, the vote on the list of 24 ministers, which has been pieced together by Haniya should be a formality, although the formerly dominant Fatah faction will vote against it. The list will get the final seal of approval from Palestinian Authority president Mahmud Abbas on Wednesday.