Sharon: 'No meetings if Hamas run in elections'

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said today that if Hamas militants participate in Palestinian legislative elections, Israel would not hold joint meetings with Palestinians, and would make it difficult for Hamas to campaign freely.

Sharon made the comments before the Israeli parliament’s Defence and Foreign Affairs Committee, his spokesman Asaf Shariv said.

In the past, the two sides have met to negotiate Palestinian prisoner releases, the handover of West Bank towns to Palestinian control, and a variety of other issues.

The Palestinians say that Israeli roadblocks throughout the West Bank must be lifted ahead of the January 25 election to allow candidates to campaign freely and to permit voters to travel to rallies and the polls.