[Jerusalem Post] Khaled Abu Toameh - Saudi Arabia promised $1 billion in aid to the Palestinians after they agreed to the formation of a unity government, a senior Hamas official said Thursday. Hamas and Fatah agreed that the political platform of the unity government would not require Hamas to abide by previous agreements signed between the PLO and Israel, one of the three conditions the Quartet had set for granting the Hamas government legitimacy. Moreover, the Fatah-Hamas agreement does not require the unity government to explicitly recognize Israel's right to exist or Hamas to renounce violence, other Quartet requirements. Even if they are part of a unity government that accepts the Quartet principles, the U.S. government would continue to boycott Hamas ministers, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told Jewish leaders Thursday. Vice Premier Shimon Peres issued a statement saying "a united Palestinian government without a united policy in favor of peace doesn't solve any problem....The Palestinians don't only need to form a new government, they need to embark on a new path toward peace."
2007-02-09 01:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive