Palestinians assured boycott will end

President Mahmoud Abbas has received assurances that Western donors will end an aid embargo against the Palestinian government once he forms a unity government with Hamas, a Hamas politician said today.

“We have had clear words from the president that there are American, European and Arab guarantees that the siege will be lifted,” said Salah Bardawil.

Western donors cut off hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to the Palestinian government after Hamas won legislative elections early this year. The international community has called on the militant group to renounce violence and recognise Israel’s right to exist.

Abbas, a political moderate from the rival Fatah movement, is in Gaza negotiating with the militant group to replace the current Hamas-led government with a Cabinet comprised of independent experts. He hopes the new government will help get the boycott lifted.