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OCCUPIED AL QUDS, Feb 16: Israel’s defence ministry recommended on Thursday barring all Palestinians from working in Israel and from travelling between Gaza and the West Bank once a Hamas-led parliament is sworn in, government officials said.
The ministry also recommended that Israel squeeze the Palestinian Authority financially by immediately stopping all tax revenue transfers and by exerting pressure on international donors to freeze all but humanitarian assistance.
The proposed crackdown, which acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was expected to consider on Friday, would take effect next week after Hamas becomes the majority party in the Palestinian parliament.
Israel’s goal would be to undermine Hamas, winner of the Jan 25 Palestinian election, and increase pressure on the group to ‘renounce violence’ and recognise the Jewish state.
Taking a tough line on Hamas could also boost Mr Olmert’s political standing in the run-up to Israel’s March 28 general election that opinion polls predict his centrist Kadima party will win on a platform of disengaging from the Palestinians.
But the proposed restrictions on the ability of Palestinians to work and travel would be largely symbolic since only several thousand Palestinians would be affected.
Israel has imposed strict limits on the number of workers from the West Bank and Gaza Strip and travel between the territories since the Palestinian uprising began in 2000.
Israel had also previously indicated tax revenue transfers would stop and has pressed foreign donors to cut off aid immediately as well, though some countries have shown reluctance to do so.
Officials said Mr Olmert could adopt the defence ministry’s recommendations or issue an ultimatum threatening to impose the restrictions if Hamas refuses to meet Israel’s demands.
FIRST SESSION: Israel has said it would consider Saturday’s swearing-in ceremony to be the start of a Hamas-led government, even though it could take several more weeks for the group, whose charter calls for the destruction of the Jewish state, to form a cabinet and exert control.
Over Israeli objections, Russia agreed to hold talks with Hamas at the beginning of next month. Hamas leaders paid a surprise visit to Turkey, which has close ties to Israel, on Thursday.
The United States and the EU have threatened to cut off financial aid to a Hamas-led Palestinian Authority. But US and EU officials said some humanitarian aid would continue to flow.
Israel said it would not stand in the way of humanitarian assistance. —Reuters
