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Iran offers Hamas financial aid
J @ M @ L:
Iran has offered to help finance the cash-strapped Palestinian Authority governed by the Hamas militant group.
The offer was announced by senior security official Ali Larijani after a meeting with Hamas politburo chief Khaled Meshaal, state radio reported.
The decision follows moves by the US and Israel to isolate a Hamas-led government with financial penalties.
Hamas has also held initial talks with Fatah, which lost January's election, to discuss forming a coalition.
On Tuesday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas formally asked Hamas to form a government.
The new administration will be headed by one of the group's leaders in Gaza, Ismail Haniya.
Fatah had initially ruled out joining its Islamist rival in government, but the two agreed to try to find common ground for a governing partnership.
"There is an agreement in principle and the intention is there, but we must await the programme," the head of Fatah's parliamentary faction, Azzam al-Ahmed, said after the talks in Gaza City.
Mr Ahmed told Reuters that Fatah would not join Hamas unless the government adopted President Abbas's vision of negotiating peace with Israel.
But Hamas, though it has been observing an informal truce, refuses to recognise Israel and has ruled out negotiations.
Assistance
Hamas' refusal led to international condemnation and the withdrawal of US aid to the Palestinian Authority last week.
Hamas is a genuine popular movement which has always pursued the objective of recovering the rights of the oppressed Palestinian people; but unfortunately the Americans have never paid any attention to this matter
Ali Larijani
The Israeli government also froze the transfer of millions of dollars in funds to the authority - a move which the UN has called unhelpful and premature.
But on Wednesday, Iran said it would help make up the PA's funding shortfall.
"Khaled Meshaal's request for assistance to enable the [Palestinian] Authority to overcome the existing problems is noted by Iran and we shall definitely help them financially," Mr Larijani told reporters.
Mr Larijani criticised the US government's decision to withdraw aid and questioned its commitment to democracy.
"You know very well that Hamas is a genuine popular movement which has always pursued the objective of recovering the rights of the oppressed Palestinian people; but unfortunately the Americans have never paid any attention to this matter," he said.
"The US decision to stop financial aid shows that they are not seeking to promote democracy in the region, contrary to their claims on the Middle East [road-map] proposal."
On Monday, Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei expressed support for Hamas and called on other Muslim nations to provide financial aid.
Don Rizzle:
good on them, america and israel were way too premature in punishing hamas, and have now lost any potential influence.....
I TO DA GEEZY:
--- Quote from: Don Rizzle on February 24, 2006, 03:14:18 AM ---good on them, america and israel were way too premature in punishing hamas, and have now lost any potential influence.....
--- End quote ---
Yea, fa sho' POWER TO THE TERRORISTS. Im so happy, u have no idea.
Don Rizzle:
who are the real terrorists? hamas have called a truce, israel has killed 9 palestinians in the 2 days, no israelis have even been harmed.....
Don Rizzle:
now heres a terrorist who was in charge of israel until recently
Monday, 19 November, 2001, 12:56 GMT
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is being summoned to a Belgian court to answer questions over his role in the 1982 Sabra and Shatila massacres, say Belgian media reports.
Two separate claims against Mr Sharon are being brought under a 1993 Belgian law, which allows war crimes and genocide to be tried in Belgium, even if the events took place elsewhere, and even if none of the victims was Belgian.
A hearing has been set for 28 November, and Mr Sharon is expected to be issued with summons documents by the Belgian ambassador to Israel, says Le Soir newspaper.
Belgian magistrate Patrick Collignon has been investigating the two cases, initially to determine whether he has jurisdiction in the case.
The first case, charging Mr Sharon with responsibility for the deaths, was lodged by a group of Palestinians, Lebanese, Moroccans and Belgians.
The second suit, which alleges crimes against humanity, genocide and war crimes, was filed by 23 survivors of the massacres and five eyewitnesses.
The massacres took place in two refugee camps in Lebanon which were home to thousands of Palestinians.
Three months after after Israeli troops invaded Lebanon in 1982, the camps were stormed by Christian militiamen.
They shot and killed an estimated 800-1,500 of the refugees.
Mr Sharon was Israeli defence minister at the time. An Israeli investigation in 1983 found him indirectly but "personally" responsible for the deaths, and he was forced to resign.
Le Soir says the two separate summonses have been left with the Belgian ambassador, Wilfried Green, but are expected to be delivered shortly.
The case has left the Belgian administration walking on eggshells, the paper says.
Belgian diplomacy
At the same time as preparing to serve the summonses, Belgium - as European Union president - is spearheading a new diplomatic effort to restore the peace process.
Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt is heading a senior EU delegation on a Middle East tour which has included top-level talks in Israel.
The delegation, which left Israel on Monday, has held separate talks with Mr Sharon and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.
At the court hearing on 28 November, a Belgian grand jury is scheduled to decide whether the court has jurisdiction in the case.
Mr Sharon's Belgian lawyer is challenging the court's right to be involved, and the Belgian investigation has been suspended in the meantime.
The Mayor of Jerusalem, Ehud Olmert, has angrily attacked the Belgian Government over the affair, accusing Mr Verhofstadt of heading a "government of bastards".
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