West Will Continue to Fund Fatah-Hamas Government (Video)
(Ynet News / Worthy News)– The West is prepared to work with a new Palestinian government, US and European Union officials said Monday, despite Israeli concerns it gives power and influence to the radical Hamas movement.
Israel maintains Hamas is a terrorist group, and has angrily refused to work with a Palestinian unity government that would include Hamas members.
The US State Department announced Monday night that it planned to continue disbursing aid to Palestinians, after President Mahmoud Abbas swore in a new unity government earlier in the day which incorporated Hamas, a designated terrorist organization. Hours later, Secretary of State John Kerry called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to relay US willingness to work with the new leaders.
By law, US aid to the Palestinians may not benefit Hamas, which Washington regards as a terrorist group, "or any entity effectively controlled by Hamas, any power-sharing government of which Hamas is a member, or that results from an agreement with Hamas and over which Hamas exercises undue influence."
Separately, in an Associated Press interview, the EU's top envoy to the US said Europe was prepared to work with a government backed by Hamas.