U.S. 'Concerned' About Palestinians
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Wednesday said the U.S. is "very concerned" about the plight of the Palestinians and pledged to improve living conditions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
The Palestinian economy has been hit hard by international sanctions imposed after the Hamas militant group swept to power in legislative elections early this year. Despite the pain, Hamas has refused international calls to renounce violence and recognize Israel's right to exist, and until it does so, the U.S. and other western countries won't resume aid to the Palestinians.
The major reason for Hamas' success in January's elections was its promise to deliver services to the Palestinian people, something the long-ruling Fatah party had failed to do. But with the sanctions and Israel withholding tax money it collects for the Palestinian Authority, Hamas has not been able to make good on its promises.
Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas on Wednesday accused the U.S. of trying to "rearrange" the Middle East to suit American and Israeli interests.
In other developments:
Rice, in the region in hopes of reviving long-moribund peace efforts, spoke after meeting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
"I told the president that we are very concerned, of course, about the humanitarian conditions in the Palestinian territories," she said. "I said to him that we would redouble our efforts to improve the conditions for the Palestinian people."
Abbas, who was elected separately in presidential elections last year, has urged Hamas to accept the international conditions. He has been pushing Hamas to form a coalition government with Fatah as a way to ending the standoff.
Rice also said she hoped it would "not be very long" before Abbas meets with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. In her own meeting Wednesday with Olmert, they agreed to strengthen Palestinian moderates in a bid to revive the "road map" peace plan, reports CBS News correspondent Robert Berger.
While the U.S. supports Abbas as a legitimate negotiating partner, it considers Hamas a terrorist group, and Rice was not meeting with any of its members.
"She cares only to rearrange this region and to rearrange the Palestinian scene in a way that serves the American and Israeli agenda," Haniyeh said.
Haniyeh said Hamas considers dialogue "the only way" to solve international disagreements. "I don't think turning the back on this dialogue can serve the higher interests of the Palestinian people," he said.
Abbas also said Wednesday a new Cabinet must be formed to end a recent surge in violence that claimed 10 lives in three days. He did not elaborate, but Abbas holds wide-ranging constitutional powers that include the authority to disband the current government.
A Hamas Cabinet minister, giving a dramatically different assessment of the situation, said the two sides were on the verge of forming a government, possibly one made up of professionals, not politicians.
talks foundered last week over Hamas' refusal to recognize Israel — a key demand of Western powers — and infighting quickly followed. The infighting was the deadliest since Hamas took office in March and heightened fears of a full-scale civil war.
"There are many bloody events now, and we need to end this crisis as soon as possible, reach a solution and form a new Cabinet," Abbas told reporters.
Asked if he would use his powers to dissolve the government, he replied: "My constitutional authority will be used at the appropriate time. ... We are going to see how to deal with the solution. All doors are open."
If he were to disband the government, Abbas could either form a new cabinet or call new elections.
New elections would be a risky move because a Fatah victory would not be guaranteed. A recent poll showed Fatah would tie with Hamas if a vote were held now. The poll also indicated that voters consider Abbas less trustworthy than Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas.
Public Works Minister Abdel Rahman Zaidan of Hamas, taking issue with Abbas' view of the situation, said the two sides were in "the final stages" of forming a so-called national unity government.
"There is serious thinking within Hamas to form a national unity government which is composed of professionals, basically, not political faces," Zaidan said. "This government would not be headed by a Hamas leader."
An Abbas confidant, speaking on condition of anonymity, said a government of professionals would be a way out of the current crisis.
But another aide to Abbas said no new government would be able to avoid recognizing Israel.
"What matters is the program of the government," Saeb Erekat said. "The program of the government must reflect the principles Abu Mazen (Abbas) specified in his speech at the U.N." — namely, recognition of Israel.