US acts to avert Palestinian humanitarian crisis

The US slightly softened its hard-line position against Hamas, agreeing with other potential Middle East peacemakers to set up a new fund intended to avert a humanitarian crisis among the Palestinians.

The surprise agreement yesterday seemed to underscore the fear that months of withholding most aid from the Palestinians, part of an effort to pressure the new Hamas-led government to be more accommodating toward Israel, was harming the Palestinian people.

In a statement issued after a day of private diplomatic meetings, the US, the European Union, the United Nations and Russia said they would consider a temporary program to funnel additional aid directly to the Palestinian people.

The group did not say precisely how much or what kind of aid they would provide. The fund could be established within weeks, said Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the EU’s external relations commissioner.

The new fund is supposed to administer only money to cover basic human needs. Both European and US diplomats said that at some point it might be used to pay salaries for urgently needed doctors or teachers or for other services that the Hamas government otherwise would be expected to provide.

Hamas won election in part because of a record of providing services that the previous secular Fatah leadership did not.

Meanwhile, Palestinian premier Ismail Haniyeh has wrested an agreement from his Hamas and the rival Fatah early today to stop violent incidents, after Hamas militants attacked a Fatah funeral procession and children were caught in a crossfire in Gaza City.

After talks that lasted 4 1/2 hours, Haniyeh, flanked by Fatah activists, told reporters after midnight today that the two sides would put a stop to the violent clashes.

Haniyeh said the they agreed that “dialogue is the only language to solve our differences.” Ahmed Helas, a Fatah leader, read a joint statement with a pledge to work out problems peacefully and expel any member who uses weapons illegally.

However, officials admitted that the real test would be on the ground - whether the two groups would honour each other’s roadblocks and keep their weapons off the streets.

Fatah official Samir Mashrawi said the way ahead is difficult. “We have a crisis of trust and culture, but we are determined to solve this through dialogue,” he said.

Hamas and Fatah have been in a power struggle since Hamas won a January election. Most members of the security forces are loyal to Fatah, and instead of trying to disarm them, Hamas has set up its own militia.