US Cuts All Contact with Hamas-led Government

Top Hamas political leaders Mahmud al-Zahar (R) talks with Ismail Haniya, during a gathering of the entire Islamist movement's leadership in Gaza City, 2005. The United States has suspended all contact with the Palestinian government led by Hamas, the US State Department announced(AFP/File/Mahmud Hams)
 

Friday 31 March, 2006


WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States has suspended all contact with the Palestinian government led by Hamas, the US State Department announced.

However, the administration will maintain contact with the Palestinian Authority's representative in Washington, Afief Safieh, because "he does not report to the foreign ministry," deputy State Department spokesman Adam Ereli told reporters.

The new Palestinian minister of foreign affairs, Mahmud Zahar, is a Hamas hard-liner.

"We've advised our mission in Jerusalem, as well as other missions around the world that ... there should be no contact between US government officials and P.A. (Palestinian Authority) officials who are under the authority of the prime minister or any other minister in the Hamas-led government. This includes working-level officials in those ministries," said Ereli.

"If they're working in a Hamas-led ministry, no matter what their affiliation is, we're not going to have contact with them," he said.

Ereli, however, said US diplomats can remain in contact with Palestinian Authority President Mahmud Abbas and "the officials directly under the Palestinian Authority.

"We will work with individuals and organizations who are not affiliated with Hamas," he said. "There are a lot of people we can speak to now."

Ereli noted that the assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs, David Welch, who is now in the region, had met with chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat and was expected to meet with Abbas in the coming days.

The new instructions had been expected since Washington considers Hamas a terrorist organization, and rules forbid US officials entering in contact with members of a terrorist group.