Straw denies Hamas dialogue claim

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/4EE54374-6739-4665-A0AB-57ADC290556D.htm
Wednesday 08 June 2005, 0:00 Makka Time, 21:00 GMT



British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw says his government will have no dealings
with the leadership of Hamas, hours after acknowledging in a radio interview
that British diplomats recently met with members of the resistance group.



Straw, beginning a two-day visit to the Middle East on Tuesday by meeting
Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom, condemned a Palestinian rocket attack
in the Gaza Strip that killed two people and wounded six others.



He said such violence "illustrates the wanton, random terror which Hamas and
other similar organisations are ready to practice" to undermine peace efforts
and the government of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.



The attack came after Israeli forces killed a local leader of the resistance
movement Islamic Jihad in the West Bank.




"Our policy is clear," Straw said at the start of the meeting. "We will have
no dealings with the leadership of Hamas or other such organisations unless
and until they wholly renounce violence and they renounce their charter
calling for the destruction of the state of Israel."




A Hamas spokesman said Straw had no right to make demands of the resistance
group.



Hasan Yousuf, Hamas spokesman in the West Bank, told Aljazeera.net: "We will
not drop our moral, religious and national constants just to have an audience
with Straw and the likes of Straw.



"Resistance to evil is not only a human right, it is a noble moral and
national duty," he said.




Political thaw



Earlier, Straw said in a radio interview that British diplomats recently met
two mayors in the West Bank and Gaza who were elected to represent Hamas.



Hamas did well in local elections in the West Bank and Gaza Strip recently,
leading to predictions of a strong showing in parliamentary elections, where
it is to field candidates for the first time.



The election, originally set for 17 July, has been postponed indefinitely.
Shalom said Hamas is trying to scuttle tentative Israeli-Palestinian peace
moves.



"Hamas is trying very hard to undermine our efforts to move toward peace with
the Palestinian Authority," he said. "Hamas is trying to undermine Abu Mazin's
regime as well," he said, referring to Abbas by his nickname.



During his stay, Straw will have further talks with Israeli and Palestinian
leaders, ahead of Israel's planned August pullout from the occupied Gaza Strip
and part of the West Bank.



Straw offered his support. "We see it as a key step towards what we all want
to see, which is those two states of Palestine and Israel being able to live
side by side in peace and security," he said.



On Wednesday he is to meet Abbas, Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmad Quraya and
Foreign Minister Nassir al-Kidwa in the West Bank city of Ram Allah, then see
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in Jerusalem.


Aljazeera + Agencies