US: No plot against Hamas
14/02/2006 20:26  - (SA)  

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Washington - The United States denied on Tuesday it was discussing with Israel ways to destabilize Hamas in an attempt to provoke new elections as the militant Islamic group prepares to take over the Palestinian Authority.

"There is no plan, there is no plot," said state department spokesperson Sean McCormack.

White House spokesperson Scott McClellan echoed McCormack, saying "there is no plot".

The New York Times reported on its front page on Tuesday that the United States and Israel were considering a campaign to bring down a Hamas government by starving the Palestinian Authority of cash.

Israel transfers about $50m to the authority every month as revenue from income and customs taxes collected on its behalf.

McCormack said the state department was puzzled by the newspaper's Jerusalem-dated report.

"We are not having conversations with the Israelis that we are not having with others, including the Quartet," he said referring to the United States, the European Union, the United Nations and Russia, who are supporting a Mideast peace plan known as the road map.

Hamas policy

McCormack also reiterated what the United States and other members of the Quartet are demanding: that Hamas recognise Israel right to exist, renounce terror, and accept past agreements the Palestinians reached with the Israelis.

Hamas has repeatedly refused to change its policy on Israel since its triumph in the January 25 elections.

It has invited its defeated rival, the Fatah party, to join a coalition government, but Fatah leaders have so far declined to do so, apparently fearing that Hamas would use their ministers to conduct business with Israel.

Daniel Ayalon, the Israeli ambassador, told The Associated Press: "There are no ongoing discussions with the US designed to bring down the Palestinian government."

Ayalon also said: "There is no conspiracy between Israel and the United States to hurt the Palestinian people and there is no plan whatsoever to compromise the well-being of the Palestinian people.

"Israel hopes the Palestinian leadership will take the right steps and adopt the requirements put to them by the international community, mainly the Quartet, to recognise Israel's right to exist, renounce terrorism and dismantle terror organisations and to accept previous agreement and the vision of a two-state solution, two states side by side."

- AP

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