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China willing to consider aid for Hamas
(AP)
Updated: 2006-02-23 20:18 China said Wednesday it would
consider giving aid to the new Hamas-led Palestinian government if Hamas leaders
request it.
A Foreign Ministry spokesman, Liu Jianchao, said Beijing hopes the new
Palestinian leadership "could start from maintaining the fundamental interests
of Palestinian people, and continue to push forward the China-Palestine
relations and the Middle East peace process."
Asked at a regular news briefing whether China might offer aid to compensate
for money withheld from Hamas by Israel, Liu said, "If the Palestinian side
raises this request, we will consider it."
The Hamas sweep in Palestinian elections last month stunned Washington and
threatened the already fragile Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
Hamas, which has killed scores of Israelis in suicide bombings, has rejected
international demands to be moderate, despite Israel's efforts to isolate the
group internationally and Western threats to cut off vital financial aid.
Hamas has called for the destruction of Israel and does not recognize the
Jewish state.
This week, Israel froze the transfer of about US$50 million (euro40 million)
in monthly taxes for the Palestinians.
The United States and European Union, which consider Hamas a terrorist group,
also have said they will halt aid to a Hamas-led government unless the group
changes its attitude toward Israel.
Liu said on Thursday he didn't know whether Beijing would be willing to have
official contacts with the Hamas government.
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