Straw in Saudi to discuss Hamas funding
Jack Straw is visiting Saudi Arabia
Wednesday, 19, Apr 2006 12:00
The decision to suspend funding for the Palestinian authority was not designed to harm the people but to influence the behaviour of Hamas, Jack Straw has said.
The foreign secretary was speaking from Saudi Arabia, where he is to meet with King Abdullah and some of his princes in the capital, Riyadh.
In a speech later today, Mr Straw will highlight the good relations between the two countries, and will also stress the importance of combating terrorists in the region – insisting they are no solution to any of the problems in the Middle East.
He will also argue that finding a solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict is vital for security in the region, and in his discussions with the royal family, funding of the Palestinian authority is likely to be high on the agenda.
A delegation from Hamas, who won the Palestinian elections earlier this year, is in Riyadh at the same time to ask the Saudis to make up the shortfall left by the withdrawal of European Union funds.
The EU and the US stopped millions of pounds of funding to the Palestinian authority when Hamas were elected, as the paramilitary group has refused to give up its pledge to destroy Israel, or to give official recognition the Jewish state.
Yesterday, Hamas provoked further outrage from the international community when it refused to condemn a suicide bomb in Tel Aviv, which left nine people dead.
Israeli officials blamed Hamas for the attack, although militant group Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility. However, the government has ruled out military retaliation, instead revoking Israeli residency from Hamas officials living in east Jerusalem.
Speaking this morning, Mr Straw said the decision to make up the funding shortfall for the Palestinians was matter for the Saudis, but suggested the money involved was too great – and warned the UK would not be deterred from trying to change Hamas.
"What we're seeking to do is by a temporary suspension of our funding of the Palestinian authority to secure some change in approach by that authority," he told Today.
"It is our hope that we can resume the funding of the Palestinian authority but there has to be a movement by the new Palestinian authority and some recognition that with the power of government which they now have goes responsibilities.
"And those responsibilities include an understanding you cannot have a democratic government which at the same time is sponsoring and supporting terrorism."