Likud, Hamas square off over future relations

Hamas, which won elections in January, unveiled a proposed government programme Saturday that does not renounce its commitment to destroying Israel but says recognition of it is "a decision for the Palestinian people".

Speaking to the Yediot Aharonot daily, which Sunday published an outline of the Likud campaign platform, party leader and former premier Benjamin Netanyahu asked: "Should I be talking about concessions when the Hamas government is in power?"

"At the moment there is nothing to be done and we need to fight Hamas. As long as Hamas is in control, we will not return any territory to them, we will not transfer any money to them and we will not allow Palestinian workers to work in Israel. Our platform will be revised according to circumstances."

In the same vein, the Likud platform argues that the internationally drafted roadmap peace plan, in which a Palestinian state would live alongside Israel in peace, is a dead letter.

"The continued outline of the roadmap is impossible in light of the absence of a legitimate partner," it said.

That was echoed by a senior official in the office of Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, whose Kadima party is the favorite to win the election.

"Unfortunately, Hamas is suppressing any hope of progress with respect to a negotiated settlement," he told AFP on condition of anonymity.

Israel, the United States and the European Union have all conditioned any dealings with a Hamas-led Palestinian Authority on its renouncing violence, recognising Israel and honouring past agreements with the Jewish state.

And so has moderate Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas, whose Fatah party has as a result so far refused to agree to join a coalition government.