The U.S. has cut off ties with Hamas.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States ordered its diplomats and contractors on Wednesday to cut off contacts with Palestinian ministries after a Hamas-led government was sworn in, the State Department said.
A directive, distributed to diplomats and other officials in the region by e-mail, instructed them with immediate effect not to have contacts with Hamas-appointed government ministers or those who work for them, whether they are members of the Islamic militant group or not, officials said.
Hamas is formally committed to the destruction of Israel and is classed by the U.S. government as a terrorist organisation. It won a landslide victory in Palestinian parliamentary elections in January.
“We will not have contact with members of Hamas, no matter what title they may have,” said State Department spokesman Sean McCormack.
And Canada has cut off ties and aid.
OTTAWA (CP) – Canada is cutting assistance and diplomatic ties to the Palestinian Authority because the new Hamas government has not renounced violence.
However, Ottawa will still provide humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people through the United Nations and other organizations.
Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay announced the news Wednesday after the Palestinian Legislative Council approved the formation of a Hamas-led government.
“The stated platform of this government has not addressed the concerns raised by Canada and others concerning non-violence, the recognition of Israel, and acceptance of previous agreements and obligations, including the Roadmap for Peace,” MacKay said in a statement.
“As a result, Canada will have no contact with the members of the Hamas cabinet and is suspending assistance to the Palestinian Authority.”
Those are two good steps in the right direction. It remains to be seen how much aid from humanitarian organizations winds up being funneled to the Hamas-led PA, but for now, I’m going to see the glass as half-full.
However, we must remember that the humanitaria aid is fungible even if they actually did spend it on what it is ostensibly for. If they continue witht he way they have acted in the past, they will define the humanitarian aid to include direct funding of terrorists.
They’ll redirect the cash into UNRWA and other front organizations. And as Peter Hansen said, they never check what affiliations their locals are a part of, so the cash and materials will end up with Islamic Jihad, Hamas, PFLP, and Al-Aqsa as usual.
So why hasn’t the US stopped sending money to them,too? That they might understand.