lennart
29-06-03, 20:52
EU rejects U.S. demand to halt Hamas funding
By Aluf Benn, Haaretz Correspondent
Leaders of the European Union have rejected a key
U.S. demand to cut off funding to Hamas, and to
include the civilian-political wing of the
organization in the EU's list of terror
organizations, along with its military branch.
The White House had presented
the Europeans with a list of
charitable organizations linked
to Hamas, and requested that
the EU stem the flow of funding
to them. According to reports
that reached Israeli sources in
Jerusalem, the Palestinian
Authority lobbied the EU last
week, asking that the freezing
of funds to Hamas-linked groups be delayed.
As a result of the Palestinian lobbying, the EU
suspended its talks with the U.S., described by
one American official as "not easy." The main
points of conflict at the talks were relations
with Hamas and the treatment of PA Chairman
Yasser Arafat.
European leaders discussed links with Hamas at a
summit meeting in Thessaloniki some 10 days
ago. According to reports emerging from the
summit, French President Jacques Chirac "fought
with all his might" for Hamas, and objected
vehemently to placing limitations on a group
"that raises money for charitable causes."
Chirac tried to persuade his colleagues that
they were misreading the situation, and told
them "one day you will have to talk with
Hamas."
The U.S. administration has so far failed in its
attempts to implement security reforms within
the Palestinian Authority, and to make all
branches of the Palestinian security services
subordinate to Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas.
In a conversation last week with Egyptian
President Hosni Mubarak, President George W.
Bush raised the issue of the U.S. demand to
transfer 20,000 Palestinian security personnel
from Arafat's control to the control of Abbas
and his security minister, Mohammed Dahlan.
Mubarak rejected the demand, telling Bush "this
is not the time - this is the time for a
cease-fire."
Dit betekent dus dat Al-Aqsa goede kans maakt bij het Europese hof.
By Aluf Benn, Haaretz Correspondent
Leaders of the European Union have rejected a key
U.S. demand to cut off funding to Hamas, and to
include the civilian-political wing of the
organization in the EU's list of terror
organizations, along with its military branch.
The White House had presented
the Europeans with a list of
charitable organizations linked
to Hamas, and requested that
the EU stem the flow of funding
to them. According to reports
that reached Israeli sources in
Jerusalem, the Palestinian
Authority lobbied the EU last
week, asking that the freezing
of funds to Hamas-linked groups be delayed.
As a result of the Palestinian lobbying, the EU
suspended its talks with the U.S., described by
one American official as "not easy." The main
points of conflict at the talks were relations
with Hamas and the treatment of PA Chairman
Yasser Arafat.
European leaders discussed links with Hamas at a
summit meeting in Thessaloniki some 10 days
ago. According to reports emerging from the
summit, French President Jacques Chirac "fought
with all his might" for Hamas, and objected
vehemently to placing limitations on a group
"that raises money for charitable causes."
Chirac tried to persuade his colleagues that
they were misreading the situation, and told
them "one day you will have to talk with
Hamas."
The U.S. administration has so far failed in its
attempts to implement security reforms within
the Palestinian Authority, and to make all
branches of the Palestinian security services
subordinate to Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas.
In a conversation last week with Egyptian
President Hosni Mubarak, President George W.
Bush raised the issue of the U.S. demand to
transfer 20,000 Palestinian security personnel
from Arafat's control to the control of Abbas
and his security minister, Mohammed Dahlan.
Mubarak rejected the demand, telling Bush "this
is not the time - this is the time for a
cease-fire."
Dit betekent dus dat Al-Aqsa goede kans maakt bij het Europese hof.