Livni warns European leaders against funding Hamas-led gov't
By The Associated Press
Foreigh Minister Tzipi Livni warned European leaders on Wednesday against providing funds to a Palestinian government led by Hamas, stressing the group remains a terrorist threat.Livni, whose first stop on a European tour was in Vienna for talks with
Austrian leaders, told reporters there was no guarantee that aid money to the Palestinian Authority's incoming Hamas leadership would not be put to use by the militant group to do harm to Israel."Part of the idea of the free world fighting terrorism is not to welcome
terrorists, not to give money to terror," Livni said. "This is part of
European legislation, Israeli legislation, United States legislation."It should be very clear to the Palestinians ... that the international community cannot tolerate a terrorist organization even though (it) won the election," she added.
Her visit comes as the European Union - one of the major donors to the
Palestinians - struggles with the question of what to do after the imminent Hamas takeover.The EU announced Monday it will provide US$143 million (-120 million) in
emergency assistance to the caretaker Palestinian government aimed at preventing its financial collapse, but has so far kept silent on what it would do once Hamas takes office.Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik, whose country holds the EU's
rotating presidency, said that decision was necessary to cover basic needs."We are fully aware of the need to help improve the humanitarian situation of the Palestinian people," Plassnik said at a news conference with Livni after their meeting.
Hamas' January 25 election victory has forced the world into the difficult position of having to deal with a moderate president who supports peace talks, but a parliament - and soon a Cabinet - dominated by a group sworn to Israel's destruction and which the EU and the United States consider a terrorist organization.
Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinians' moderate president, has asked the group to form the next government.
"If you give money to a terrorist organization it will go in wrong directions... Nobody wants to give money to a terrorist organization," Livni said.
Hamas, responsible for scores of deadly attacks against Israelis, has refused to renounce its calls for Israel's destruction or give up its weapons, despite its decision to uphold a cease-fire declared a year ago.
Still, Livni did not rule out contacts with the group if did give up violence and accepted previous agreements between the Palestinians and Israel.
"I never say never," Livni said. "The ball is ... in their court right now."
On Monday, however, Livni said even talks with the moderate Abbas had little point because he would be unable to enforce an agreement as long as the militant Hamas controls his government.
In Vienna, she sought to clarify those remarks, saying his relevance will be determined by his actions.
"It is not for me to say who is relevant," Livni said. "It is more what he will do, not only what he will say that will make him more or less relevant to the future of the two peoples, Israel and the Palestinians."
After meetings with Austria's chancellor and president Wednesday afternoon, Livni was scheduled to fly to Paris. On Thursday, her tour of Europe was expected to take her to London.