U.S.: deal on unity gov't doesn't meet Quartet terms

By Aluf Benn, Avi Issacharoff and Shmuel Rosner, Haaretz Correspondents and Reuters

The U.S. State Department said on Tuesday that it would not deal with the new Palestinian unity government unless it met three conditions it had specified in the past and so far, it seems that the Palestinians are not complying with the demands.

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Welch said Washington would only deal with a new unity government if it met three conditions laid down by the Quartet of Middle East mediators -- renounce violence, recognize Israel and abide by past Israeli-Palestinian accords.

"We have not seen all the details (of the new government) and we are taking a look, a close look at it. To the extent that we understand this so far, it does not meet the standard," Welch told reporters in an interview.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/761964.html

Last update - 05:01 13/09/2006

PA source: EU will lift boycott for unity gov't

By Avi Issacharoff, Haaretz Correspondent

European states have signaled to the Hamas government that they intend to lift the economic embargo on the Palestinian Authority once a national unity government is established, according to Ahmed Yusef, political adviser to Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh.

"The European states have promised to reconsider their stance regarding the boycott of the Palestinian government. Following the war in Lebanon there is greater understanding in Europe that they must present a more balanced stance regarding the Arab-Israeli conflict," Yusef said in an interview with Haaretz on Tuesday.

Palestinian Labor Minister Mohammed Barghouti said Tuesday in an interview with the East Jerusalem daily Al-Quds that PA Chair Mahmoud Abbas received assurances from the European Union and Arab states that they would cooperate with a national unity government headed by Haniyeh.

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"If they [the international community] do not cooperate with the new government, which will represent the entire Palestinian nation, the people will have to reconsider the existence of the Palestinian Authority," Barghouti said.

While speaking with Haaretz, Yusef touched on the three preconditions set by the Quartet - the United States, the European Union, the United Nations and Russia - in return for recognition of the Hamas government: ending violence, recognizing Israel and accepting previous accords between Israel and the Palestinians.

The U.S. State Department said on Tuesday that it would not deal with the new Palestinian unity government unless it met the three conditions and so far, it seems that the Palestinians are not complying with the demands.

"We have not seen all the details (of the new government) and we are taking a look, a close look at it. To the extent that we understand this so far, it does not meet the standard," U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Welch told reporters.

Yusef says there is no mention of recognition for Israel in the unity government's political platform.

excerpted

If they [the international community] do not cooperate with the new government, which will represent the entire Palestinian nation, the people will have to reconsider the existence of the Palestinian Authority," Barghouti said.

Binary logic is bad logic. Another option is to reconsider their representatives in the Palestinian Authority. If the 'national unity' government fails, then dissolve the government and hold new elections. Maybe the people have come to their senses and will elect people who can actually do something productive with what they've got.

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