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US to continue aiding Palestinian unity government but fears Hamas electoral win

June 5, 2014 at 12:29 pm

Deputy Spokesperson of the US State Department Marie Harf said on Tuesday that her country would continue aiding the new Palestinian unity government while monitoring closely its work.

Replying to journalists’ questions in her daily press briefing, Harf said: “President Abbas made clear that this new technocratic government was committed to the principles of nonviolence, negotiations [and] recognition of the state of Israel.”

She explained that Abbas also said this government is committed to the “acceptance of previous agreements and Quartet principles and prior obligations between the [PLO and Israel], and finally, to continue security coordination with Israel.”

When a reporter cited possible limitations based on a US law that prevents assisting any Palestinian government backed by Hamas, which the US considers a terrorist organisation, Harf said: “To be clear, moving forward, we will be judging this technocratic government by its actions. As we said, based on what we now know about the composition of this government, which has, again, no ministers affiliated with Hamas and is committed to the principles I just mentioned.”

Based on those principles, she again asserted that: “We intend to work with [the new unity government]. But we will be watching closely to ensure that it upholds those principles.”

At the same time, Harf also insisted that “Hamas is a designated foreign terrorist organisation, and the United States does not and will not provide it assistance.” She said: “Per longstanding US policy, we do not have any contact with Hamas.”

When journalists asked further questions about the involvement of Hamas in a government that the US agrees to cooperate with, she criticised this as misinformation, saying: “I think that some reports have led people incorrectly to think that members of Hamas are part of the new government.”

Meanwhile, Executive Director of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy Robert Satloff told Palestine’s Al-Quds newspaper that Washington is still afraid that Hamas might be re-elected.

Satloff recalled how the Bush Administration thought that Hamas had to take part in the elections despite being blacklisted and persuaded Israel to adopt this position, despite Hamas’s commitment to the destruction of Israel.

The result, Satloff said, was “Hamas’s surprising victory and control of the Gaza Strip.” Thus, Satloff questioned whether or not the US would give a blind eye to Hamas’s participation in the upcoming elections, which is the main goal of this transitional unity government.