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US lifts Palestinian embargo
18/06/2007 23:36 - (SA)
Anne Gearan
Washington - The United States on Monday lifted its economic and political
embargo against the Palestinian government, Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice announced.
The move follows the expulsion of the militant Hamas movement
from the Palestinian Authority, and is meant to strengthen
Western-backed President Mahmoud Abbas by resuming direct US aid.
Rice said she had informed new Palestinian Prime Minister Salam
Fayyad of the decision in phone call earlier on Monday.
"I told him the United States would resume full assistance to
the Palestinian government and normal government to government
contacts," she told reporters at the State Department. "I told the
prime minister that we want to work with his government and support
his efforts to enforce the rule of law and to ensure a better life
for the Palestinian people."
"We intend to lift our financial restrictions on the Palestinian
government, which has accepted previous agreements with Israel and
rejects the path of violence. This will enable the American people
and American financial institutions to resume normal economic and
commercial ties with the Palestinaian government," Rice said.
She said the administration would work with Congress to
reprogramme assistance to the Palestinian Authority and would also
contribute an additional $40m to the United
Nations to help Palestinians - particularly in the Gaza Strip - which
is now controlled by Hamas.
"Through its actions, Hamas sought to divide the Palestinan
nation, we reject that," Rice said. "It is the position of the
United States that there is one Palestinian people and there should
be one Palestinian state."
- AP
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