Solana looms to stop aid if Hamas wins elections

The Higher Coordinator Of The Foreign Policy And Defense Affairs for the European Union, Javier Solana, indicated the European Union may stop aid to the Palestinian authority if Hamas ( the Palestinian national resistance movement) wins the next legislative elections.

In a step that almost approached the American position towards Hamas regarding Hamas's participation in the elections, Solana said following talks with the Israeli deputy prime minister Shimon Peres in Tel Aviv that the European Union will find it difficult to deal with the Palestinian authority, noting in particular to Hamas's continued resistance of the occupation and its non recognition of Israel.

Despite the fact that the Hamas participation in the legislative elections does not mean necessarily its participation in the Palestinian authority government, as confirmed by the movement, however, Solana said it is very difficult that our partners in the future will be parties that do not deplore violence." Solana said that the European Union will not stand against the participation of Hamas in the elections, as the Israeli position does, but he explained that the problem lies in after the elections which will be held on January 25th, 2006.