Israel softens criticism of Russia on Hamas talks

By Allyn Fisher-Ilan

JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israel backed off its harsh criticism
of Russia on Tuesday ahead of Moscow’s talks with leaders of
Hamas following the Islamist militant group’s victory in
Palestinian elections.

Israel’s interim Prime Minister Ehud Olmert met top
officials to review policy toward Russia after it invited Hamas
for March 3 talks which are to take place at a higher level
than expected, with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov
quoted by Russian news agencies as saying he will personally
take part.

Russia’s move challenged Israel’s U.S.-backed efforts to
isolate Hamas unless it recognizes the Jewish state, but Olmert
toned down Israel’s earlier criticism of Moscow over the talks.

He said in a statement after his policy review discussions
that Israel’s ties with Russia “are important and ways must be
found to improve them and tighten the understanding.”

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin was a friend of Israel
and would not act against Israel’s interests, Olmert added in a
statement.

Previously, Israeli officials have warned that the Moscow
meeting threatened peacemaking prospects and accused Russia of
“stabbing Israel in the back.”

Russia has said it would tell Hamas, whose charter calls
for Israel’s destruction, that it must commit to seeking peace
with Israel to win international acceptance.

Israel has threatened to sever ties with a Palestinian
government headed by Hamas and has already frozen a handover of
tax revenues after Hamas was sworn into parliament and asked to
head a government after its surprise win of the January 25
poll.

The next tax revenue payment would normally have been made
on March 1.

Washington and the European Union have also threatened to
cut all but humanitarian aid unless Hamas recognizes the Jewish
state, renounces violence and accepts past peace deals.

HAMAS EXPECTS IRAN’S AID

A senior Hamas official said that Iran has agreed to
provide the Palestinians with enough money to make up for any
cuts in foreign aid to the cash-strapped Palestinian Authority.

“I do not have information about numbers but Iranian
officials have announced they would be ready to fulfil all
financial needs of the Palestinian Authority in case of aid
cuts,” the official, Khalil Abu Laila, told Reuters in Gaza.

Palestinians are dependent on foreign aid totaling more
than $1 billion a year.

The European Union announced a special aid package of 120
million euros ($142 million) on Monday to help stave off an
imminent financial collapse of the Palestinian Authority.

In a report to be released on Tuesday, the U.N. Office for
the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said there was a
higher risk of crime and kidnappings if the Palestinian
Authority runs out of money to pay its 73,000 security
personnel.

The U.N. report also said that a tightening of Israeli
security measures since Hamas won the election has
significantly worsened conditions for Palestinians.

Israel, which has long viewed the United Nations as
pro-Palestinian, said the increase in restrictions was due to
an “enhanced terrorist threat.”

In the latest violence, Israeli soldiers shot and wounded a
Palestinian man who stabbed an Israeli and a foreign worker
near a Jewish settlement bloc in the occupied West Bank.