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| US and Israel agree boycott plan | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The US and Israel will not work with a new Palestinian unity government unless it recognises Israel, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert says. | |
| He was speaking as US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice prepares for talks with Mr Olmert and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. | |
| Mr Olmert says he and President Bush agreed on their position on Friday. | |
| Hamas, the largest group in the proposed Palestinian unity government, refuses to recognise Israel. | |
| Mr Olmert said that a Palestinian government that failed to accept conditions laid down by the quartet of the US, EU, Russia and UN "cannot receive recognition and there will not be co-operation with it," Reuters news agency reports. | |
| The quartet has called on the Palestinians to recognise the state of Israel and give up violence against it. | |
| "I spoke about this on Friday with the president of the United States, and I can tell you the Israeli and US positions are completely identical," Mr Olmert said in televised comments, Reuters says. | |
| The EU, US and Russia have maintained an economic boycott of the Palestinian government since Hamas won legislative elections last year. | |
| Ms Rice is holding separate meetings on Sunday with Mr Olmert and Mr Abbas before the three are due to get together on Monday. | |
| After arriving in Israel, Ms Rice said it was an important time to advance the vision of a Palestinian state. | After arriving in Israel, Ms Rice said it was an important time to advance the vision of a Palestinian state. |
| Mr Olmert's comments will add to doubts about whether the US will engage with a new Palestinian unity government. | |
| Speaking after talks with Israel's Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, Ms Rice said now was "an important time to talk about how we advance the vision of two states living side-by-side in peace and in freedom". | Speaking after talks with Israel's Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, Ms Rice said now was "an important time to talk about how we advance the vision of two states living side-by-side in peace and in freedom". |
| If one waited for the perfect time to come to the Middle East then one would never get on the airplane Condoleezza RiceUS secretary of state | |
| But she and Ms Livni both stressed that any new Palestinian coalition government must recognise Israel, renounce violence and accept past peace agreements. | |
| Many observers wonder whether the two embattled leaders, Mr Olmert and Mr Abbas, are strong enough to take the difficult steps towards peace, says the BBC's Bethany Bell in Jerusalem. | Many observers wonder whether the two embattled leaders, Mr Olmert and Mr Abbas, are strong enough to take the difficult steps towards peace, says the BBC's Bethany Bell in Jerusalem. |
| Moderation urged | Moderation urged |
| Ms Rice arrived in Israel after a brief visit to the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, where she reviewed a new security plan intended to reduce violence in the city. | Ms Rice arrived in Israel after a brief visit to the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, where she reviewed a new security plan intended to reduce violence in the city. |
| Abbas (right) charged Haniya with forming a unity government"I think that the moderates in the Palestinian side need to understand that a path towards a Palestinian state needs to go though renunciation of violence and terrorism and not by compromising with terror," said Ms Livni, after meeting the secretary of state. | Abbas (right) charged Haniya with forming a unity government"I think that the moderates in the Palestinian side need to understand that a path towards a Palestinian state needs to go though renunciation of violence and terrorism and not by compromising with terror," said Ms Livni, after meeting the secretary of state. |
| Ms Rice said that the US would "await the formation of a [Palestinian] government before making any decisions about it". | Ms Rice said that the US would "await the formation of a [Palestinian] government before making any decisions about it". |
| "If one waited for the perfect time to come to the Middle East then one would never get on the airplane," she added. | "If one waited for the perfect time to come to the Middle East then one would never get on the airplane," she added. |
| On Thursday the Palestinian leader and Fatah chief asked former Prime Minister Ismail Haniya of Hamas to form a national unity government. | On Thursday the Palestinian leader and Fatah chief asked former Prime Minister Ismail Haniya of Hamas to form a national unity government. |
| Factional fighting between Fatah and Hamas claimed more than 90 Palestinian lives between December and this month. | Factional fighting between Fatah and Hamas claimed more than 90 Palestinian lives between December and this month. |
| Conditions | Conditions |
| Hamas' refusal to recognise Israel has led to a crippling ban on Western financial aid since the party won elections in January last year. | Hamas' refusal to recognise Israel has led to a crippling ban on Western financial aid since the party won elections in January last year. |
| Mr Haniya now has five weeks to get a new cabinet accepted by the Hamas-dominated parliament. | Mr Haniya now has five weeks to get a new cabinet accepted by the Hamas-dominated parliament. |
| But if Hamas maintains its position regarding Israel, there is concern that any talks brokered by Washington will be futile. | But if Hamas maintains its position regarding Israel, there is concern that any talks brokered by Washington will be futile. |
| President Abbas has called for the new administration to be given a chance. | President Abbas has called for the new administration to be given a chance. |
| "We will say to the Americans and to the Israelis that they must give a chance to this government," said his spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeina, after Mr Abbas met US Assistant Secretary David Welch, as part of preparations for Monday's summit. | "We will say to the Americans and to the Israelis that they must give a chance to this government," said his spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeina, after Mr Abbas met US Assistant Secretary David Welch, as part of preparations for Monday's summit. |
| As part of the power-sharing deal it was reported that Hamas had agreed to respect past Palestinian agreements that recognise Israel. | As part of the power-sharing deal it was reported that Hamas had agreed to respect past Palestinian agreements that recognise Israel. |
| However, the BBC's Alan Johnston in Gaza says the Americans are expected to demand an explicit statement of recognition and a renunciation of violence. | However, the BBC's Alan Johnston in Gaza says the Americans are expected to demand an explicit statement of recognition and a renunciation of violence. |