SUDAN: Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal calls for lifting of international economic blockade of new Palestinian unity government

Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal called for the lifting of an international economic blockade of a new Palestinian unity government after talks in Khartoum with vice chairman of Sudan's ruling party. "During this visit we reviewed steps that need to be taken following the Mecca (unity government) agreement, especially breaking the unjust political and economic blockade imposed on the Palestinian people," Meshaal said in a news conference following his meeting with Ibrahim Ahmed Omar on Saturday (February 24). Meshaal is on a regional tour trying to mobilise support for lifting the blockade, in place since Hamas defeated President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah movement in an election a year ago. The Quartet of Middle East peace negotiators, comprising the United States, EU, Russia and the United Nations, is split over how to deal with the planned government between Fatah and Hamas, which Washington views as a terrorist group. Meshaal said the international community should decisions taken by Palestinian leaders. "We in the Palestinian arena are united, Fateh and Hamas, and with us other Palestinian forces, in line with the Mecca agreement. We are committed to the Mecca agreement and that's what obliges us (to remain united), and I think the international community has no choice but to respect this Palestinian agreement," Meshaal said. The Quartet repeated a demand on Wednesday (February 21) that any Palestinian government renounce violence, recognise Israel and accept interim peace deals. Though the unity government fell short of directly meeting those demands, Western diplomats said the agreement between Hamas and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah faction widened divisions within the Quartet. The United States and Israel want to continue to shun the unity government; Russia and some other European governments favour a softer line. Meshaal added that, following the Mecca agreement, it was up to the U.S. and Israel to take the next conciliatory step. "I think the ball is not the Palestinian or Arab court. The ball is in the Israeli and American court. Even the European side has good stances," Meshaal said. The U.S.-led boycott of the Hamas-led government has pushed the Palestinian Authority to the brink of financial collapse and raised poverty rates in the Gaza Strip and occupied West Bank.

ITN Source | February 25, 2007

Tags:. .decisions. .terrorist. .mobilise. .european. .economic