Foreign Ministers and senior officials from Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Britain, the United States and the European Union all warned that international cooperation with the peace process will depend on Hamas’ willingness to lay down its weapons and acknowledge Israel’s right to exist.
Japan joined the others in pointing out that this was a new opportunity for Hamas to change its terrorist status and move into a legitimate political arena.
The Quartet international peacemaking body will meet in London on Monday to discuss the results of the elections and implications for the future.
Hamas, however, said it has no intention of changing its agenda, will refuse to negotiate with Israel, will continue its “armed resistance” and will not revise its charter to acknowledge Israel’s right to exist.
The Arab League added its opinion that Hamas will be forced to accept the Beirut initiative, despite its current refusal to do so. Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa said Friday that the diplomatic process in the Middle East moves according to the guidelines set forth in the Beirut initiative, which calls for full Arab recognition of Israel.
The guidelines, approved by the Arab League in 2002, also call for a full Israeli withdrawal from territories gained in the 1967 and 1973 wars, according to UN resolutions 242 and 338. The initiative was rejected at the time by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
The Palestinian Economy Minister, meanwhile, was blunt about its need for cash and his expectations that the international community should provide it. “The whole world should understand that we are very much in need of $97 million,” said Mazen Sinokrot during his speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
World Bank special envoy James, who coordinates financial matters between the Palestinian Authority and countries which provide monetary aid, said Friday that there is a “lack of certainty and hope” in the financial world. He added that by next week the PA will not be able to pay its employees’ salaries, and that he believed international financial assistance will be terminated following the Hamas victory.
Fatah, which captured only half the number of seats won by Hamas, said nonetheless that Hamas will “have to accept Abu Mazen’s economic and diplomatic agenda”, according to Mohammed Mustafa, economic adviser to PA Chairman and Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen).
For its part, Israel will ignore any government led by Hamas, said Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Thursday, maintaining that such a government is “not a partner” in the search for peace.
“If a government led by Hamas or in which Hamas is a coalition partner is established, the Palestinian Authority will be turned into an authority that supports terror,” he said. “Israel and the world will ignore it and make it irrelevant.”
Japan joined the others in pointing out that this was a new opportunity for Hamas to change its terrorist status and move into a legitimate political arena.
The Quartet international peacemaking body will meet in London on Monday to discuss the results of the elections and implications for the future.
Hamas, however, said it has no intention of changing its agenda, will refuse to negotiate with Israel, will continue its “armed resistance” and will not revise its charter to acknowledge Israel’s right to exist.
The Arab League added its opinion that Hamas will be forced to accept the Beirut initiative, despite its current refusal to do so. Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa said Friday that the diplomatic process in the Middle East moves according to the guidelines set forth in the Beirut initiative, which calls for full Arab recognition of Israel.
The guidelines, approved by the Arab League in 2002, also call for a full Israeli withdrawal from territories gained in the 1967 and 1973 wars, according to UN resolutions 242 and 338. The initiative was rejected at the time by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
The Palestinian Economy Minister, meanwhile, was blunt about its need for cash and his expectations that the international community should provide it. “The whole world should understand that we are very much in need of $97 million,” said Mazen Sinokrot during his speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
World Bank special envoy James, who coordinates financial matters between the Palestinian Authority and countries which provide monetary aid, said Friday that there is a “lack of certainty and hope” in the financial world. He added that by next week the PA will not be able to pay its employees’ salaries, and that he believed international financial assistance will be terminated following the Hamas victory.
Fatah, which captured only half the number of seats won by Hamas, said nonetheless that Hamas will “have to accept Abu Mazen’s economic and diplomatic agenda”, according to Mohammed Mustafa, economic adviser to PA Chairman and Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen).
For its part, Israel will ignore any government led by Hamas, said Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Thursday, maintaining that such a government is “not a partner” in the search for peace.
“If a government led by Hamas or in which Hamas is a coalition partner is established, the Palestinian Authority will be turned into an authority that supports terror,” he said. “Israel and the world will ignore it and make it irrelevant.”