Poll result means hard choices for Bush

Poll result means hard choices for Bush

WASHINGTON has urged Palestinian leaders not to permit any Hamas members into the Palestinian cabinet, but the better-than-expected electoral showing by a group that the US labels a terrorist organisation greatly complicates the Bush Administration's diplomacy in the region.

Hamas, which is dedicated to the destruction of Israel, appears to have ridden a wave of popular disgust at the perceived corruption and incompetence of the ruling Fatah party.

The Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, has expressed hope that by bringing Hamas into the political process it will become a partner in seeking a peace accord with Israel.


However, the Prime Minister, Ahmed Qurie, and his cabinet resigned en masse, with Mr Qurie saying Hamas must form the next government.

The United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, said yesterday that any group wanting to take part in democratic politics should disarm. "I'm sure they [Hamas] are thinking about that too." Mr Annan added he was looking forward to working with a duly elected Palestinian government.

The results suggested the risks inherent in the US's campaign to bring democracy to the Middle East. Administration spokesmen officially celebrated the "historic moment for the Palestinians", but privately reeled at the outcome. Administration officials had hoped Hamas would get as little as 20 per cent of the vote.

The Washington Post reported that the US had spent $US2 million ($2.6 million) in recent weeks to promote the Palestinian Authority, and by extension Fatah, in a campaign that tried to keep US involvement hidden.

Officials had been bracing for Hamas to receive 30 to 40 per cent of the vote; exit polls indicated it topped 40 per cent.

US officials, from President George Bush down, reiterated that the US would not deal with Hamas as long as it did not renounce violence. "A political party, in order to be viable, is one that professes peace, in my judgement, in order that it will keep the peace," Mr Bush told The Wall Street Journal.

"And so you're getting a sense of how I'm going to deal with Hamas if they end up in positions of responsibility. And the answer is: 'Not until you renounce your desire to destroy Israel will we deal with you'."

Mr Bush's statement left open the possibility that the US would not reject a Palestinian government that included Hamas, but instead it would not work directly with cabinet ministers who had Hamas connections.

There is a precedent for this approach: the Bush Administration already works with the Lebanese Government, even though one cabinet member is a member of Hezbollah, which is also labelled a terrorist group.

Hamas has indicated it would like to obtain ministerial portfolios that touch on social services, raising questions about whether some of the hundreds of millions of dollars in annual US aid could continue to flow to certain public works projects if they are overseen by a Hamas cabinet member. With Israel facing elections in March, the US must deal carefully with the emerging government.

The European Commission said yesterday that it would work with any Palestinian government that used peaceful means.

"It is clear that Hamas has really got a very large proportion of the vote," said the European Union's external relations commissioner, Benita Ferrerod. "What is important is that we state we are happy to work with any government if that government is prepared to work by peaceful means."

The EU is the biggest provider of aid to the Palestinian Authority.

The Washington Post, Reuters

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