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Last update - 17:19 13/08/2007
Israeli ambassador slams British MPs' call to end Hamas boycott
By Reuters

Israel's ambassador to Britain Zvi Heifetz on Monday condemned comments by a British parliamentary committee, which said that the boycott of the extremist Palestinian Hamas was counterproductive.

"It is saddening that a UK Parliamentary Committee is suggesting rewarding an extremist group, committed to destroying any hope for peace in the Middle East, by granting it international legitimacy" said Heifetz in a statement released by the Israeli mission in London.

"The timing of the report is particularly unhelpful, coming just as the peace process is showing signs of renewed life. At this critical point in time, the international community has a moral obligation to continue its support for... [Palestinian Authority Chairman] Mahmoud Abbas, and those who wish to bring peace to the region."

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The parliamentary panel also said that Britain should make an effort to form a new unity Palestinian government in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Abbas dissolved the previous unity government between his Fatah movement and Hamas in June, following Hamas' violent takeover of Gaza.


The report, published by the House of Commons' Foreign Affairs Committee, concluded that pursuing a "West Bank first policy" under which Britain deals with the West Bank, which is run by the more secular Fatah, and isolates the Hamas-controlled Strip - would further jeopardize peace.

"Given the failure of the boycott [of Hamas] to deliver results, we recommend the government should urgently consider ways of engaging politically with moderate elements within Hamas," the all-party group of lawmakers said.

It said Britain's former prime minister Tony Blair should personally engage with Hamas to help reconciliation with the rival Fatah movement in his new role as envoy for the Quartet of Middle East mediators - the United States, the European Union, the United Nations and Russia.

Britain has joined in a Western political and financial embargo imposed on Hamas, an Islamist movement with an armed wing that is regarded as a terrorist group by Israel, the European Union and the United States.

Hamas has been isolated because of its refusal to meet three criteria laid down by the Quartet - recognition of Israel's right to exist, renunciation of violence and adherence to interim peace agreements with Israel.

The parliamentary report also recommended Britain press Abbas, whose Fatah group is backed by the West, into negotiations with Hamas to re-establish "a national unity government across the occupied Palestinian territories."

The committee said Britain had erred in enforcing the embargo against Hamas even after the group agreed in February to form a unity government with Fatah. That agreement was aimed at ending internal violence and easing Western economic sanctions.

The sustained boycott of the Palestinian government, due to Hamas' presence in it, meant the effort at unity had been "highly likely to collapse," the report said.

Factional fighting between the rival movements eventually led to Hamas taking control of the Gaza Strip in June, while Fatah, which lost elections to Hamas in early 2006, was reduced to administering the larger West Bank territory.

The committee also called for a new approach to ending the Arab-Israeli conflict. It reaffirmed the goal of a two-state solution but said the U.S.-backed "road map for peace," drawn up in 2002, "has largely become an irrelevance."

Neither the Israelis nor the Palestinians have fulfilled their commitments under the plan, which calls for Israel to halt settlement building in the West Bank and the Palestinians to dismantle militant groups and cease terror attacks.

The report called on British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's government to improve its influence in the Arab world because of damage it said had been done to Britain's reputation by its policies in Iraq, Lebanon and the Palestinian Authority.
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  1.   Moderate elements within Hamas 05:12  |  Hannah 13/08/07
  2.   UK panel hasn`t read the Hamas charter 05:48  |  Nechama 13/08/07
  3.   Gas and drilling rights in Gaza 05:57  |  Lynn 13/08/07
  4.   Hannah nope 05:59  |  Lynn 13/08/07
  5.   Talk with Hamas 06:06  |  Neil 13/08/07
  6.   "Given the failure of the boycott to deliver results" 06:12  |  Johnboy 13/08/07
  7.   The separation and devision between the West Bank and the Gaza 06:49  |  Rami 13/08/07
  8.   with the poodle out.... 06:50  |  ravi 13/08/07
  9.   Haniya is more moderate than Olmert and Barak 06:57  |  Mike 13/08/07
  10.   ZIONIST FAKE HANNAH ALERT! #1 07:09  |  Hannah 13/08/07
  11.   What "Moderate" Element Within Hamas 07:23  |  California Bear 13/08/07
  12.   Let me tell you what is counterproductive 07:43  |  Dan 13/08/07
  13.   This is why there will be no peace in our time. 07:47  |  Voice of Reason 13/08/07
  14.   Nechama # 2: I have Read It! Hamas has NO moderates! 07:54  |  Robert Blum 13/08/07
  15.   # 2 Nechama 08:32  |  maoriboy 13/08/07
  16.   The UK panel now wants to split Hamas?? 08:33  |  S 13/08/07
  17.   Yes, the Brits should definitely speak with hamas! 08:48  |  Judith, Haifa 13/08/07
  18.   Neil from Auckland 10:14  |  CommonSense 13/08/07
  19.   Neil from Auckland 10:17  |  Commonsense [2] 13/08/07
  20.   #10 Fake Zionist Fake Hannah Alert 10:20  |  Hannah 13/08/07
  21.   WHY DONT THE BRITISH REALISE THE EMPIRE HAS GONE 10:23  |  paul harris 13/08/07
  22.   Confused and arrogant MPs 10:27  |  Ehud 13/08/07
  23.   Undeniable 10:28  |  sh 13/08/07
  24.   UK panel is right, BUT..... 10:32  |  Swiss (Dino) 13/08/07
  25.   If anyone is interested... 10:47  |  Johnboy 13/08/07
  26.   What next? 10:54  |  Slibovitz 13/08/07
  27.   No Talk with Terrorists 11:00  |  Willy 13/08/07
  28.   Not now... 11:03  |  Benny 13/08/07
  29.   Neil 11:23  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 13/08/07
  30.   Rami 11:25  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 13/08/07
  31.   Maoriboy 11:30  |  Hannah 13/08/07
  32.   Hamas moderates believe bombs shouldnt have too many nails+screws 11:41  |  Alan 13/08/07
  33.   #10 arab Hannah 11:45  |  Hannah 13/08/07
  34.   #25 johnboy the british dont realise that the mandate termsstill 11:57  |  victor hardman 13/08/07
  35.   Mike 9 11:58  |  Nik Miller 13/08/07
  36.   Hamas more peace-minded than Olmert 12:03  |  Italian 13/08/07
  37.   Israel`s refusal to engage with Hamas is telling 12:11  |  Ben Alofs 13/08/07
  38.   TALK TO HAMAS OR DIE 12:19  |  indrajaya 13/08/07
  39.   My advice to Israel 12:22  |  Steven A. 13/08/07
  40.   Peace and friendship to all 12:26  |  Peaceful Arab 13/08/07
  41.   Ben Alofs 12:33  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 13/08/07
  42.   Steven A. 12:34  |  Hannah the real one 13/08/07
  43.   It is a good job 12:38  |  Chris Linthwaite 13/08/07
  44.   ben alofs 12:41  |  scallywag 13/08/07
  45.   indrajaya 12:43  |  scallywag 13/08/07
  46.   btw: who were the members of this committee? 12:45  |  scallywag 13/08/07
  47.   #31 Hannah 12:45  |  maoriboy 13/08/07
  48.   The 3 condtions are a red herring for israel to block peace 12:45  |  lakshmi 13/08/07
  49.   We Want Peace,but not on the barrel of the Hamas Gun 12:49  |  Ronnie Wolman 13/08/07
  50.   # 45, SCALLYWAG 12:57  |  indrajaya 13/08/07
  51.   How Hamas handles moderates 12:58  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 13/08/07
  52.   #48 Fake Lakshmi Alert 13:04  |  lakshmi 13/08/07
  53.   #41 Margie, Israel`s game is: divide and rule 13:35  |  Ben Alofs 13/08/07
  54.   Margie in Tel Aviv 13:58  |  Judith, Haifa 13/08/07
  55.   Reality at last 14:12  |  W 13/08/07
  56.   Judith 14:31  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 13/08/07
  57.   indrajay - hemingway and the terrorists 14:34  |  scallywag 13/08/07
  58.   You`re pissing in the wind maoriboy, not Nechama 14:36  |  S 13/08/07
  59.   UK panel instance is in line with Brit academic boycott policy , 14:56  |  Joseph E . 13/08/07
  60.   # 57, SCALLYWAG 15:09  |  indrajaya 13/08/07
  61.   #37 dr ben with his head in the welsh clouds 15:11  |  victor hardman 13/08/07
  62.   #56 Margie in TA 15:11  |  Labhras 13/08/07
  63.   Haaretz please publish my response to Ben Alofs 15:12  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 13/08/07
  64.   #56 Margie in TA 15:13  |  Labhras 13/08/07
  65.   #56 Margie in TA 15:15  |  Labhras 13/08/07
  66.   #56 Margie in TA 15:18  |  Labhras 13/08/07
  67.   #60 Indrajaya 15:26  |  lakshmi 13/08/07
  68.   local political context please 15:27  |  David Hoffman 13/08/07
  69.   #64/65 labarse and crocodile tears 15:38  |  victor hardman 13/08/07
  70.   Margie in Tel Aviv #29 "Cease Fire" 15:45  |  Guido 13/08/07
  71.   Israel is condamned to live with hostile neighbours 15:47  |  Pessimistic 13/08/07
  72.   Rami and Margie, I agree with both of you 15:48  |  Reuven Aviv 13/08/07
  73.   Guido 15:52  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 13/08/07
  74.   indrajaya - foundation of israel 15:54  |  scallywag 13/08/07
  75.   #56 Margie in TA 15:58  |  Labhras 13/08/07
  76.   Labhras 15:58  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 13/08/07
  77.   ben alofs - 3. attempt 15:58  |  scallywag 13/08/07
  78.   arabist apologists in la-la-land 16:04  |  peter 13/08/07
  79.   indrajaya"TALK TO HAMAS OR DIE"--- -laughing 16:05  |  PETER SM 13/08/07
  80.   What`s Good for the Goose, is Good for the Gander 16:10  |  Double Click 13/08/07