MIDDLE EAST: Amid a flurry of behind-the- scenes political activity, the newly-elected Hamas movement is trying to assemble a government to bring stability to the Palestinian territories after a weekend of sporadic lawlessness, writes Nuala Haughey in Gaza City
Contacts between key domestic and regional players are ongoing in the face of intense international pressure for the militant Islamic group to renounce violence or risk diplomatic isolation and Western donor aid cuts.
Israel's interim prime minister Ehud Olmert kept up his hard line against the radical armed group yesterday, saying his country would boycott a Palestinian government that includes Hamas and urging foreign leaders to do the same until it embarks on a purely political path.
Israel would not hold any contacts with the Palestinians unless Hamas renounced terror, recognised the Jewish state's right to exist and accepted all agreements Palestinian leaders had signed with Israel, Mr Olmert said in broadcast remarks.
Mr Olmert's call for foreign support came ahead of meetings today of the quartet of nations behind the moribund so-called "road map" for peace and European Commission foreign ministers who will discuss whether to continue or suspend aid to a government dominated by Hamas, which is labelled a terrorist organisation by the US and EU.
A cut in funds to the Palestinian Authority could trigger a humanitarian crisis among the three-and-a-half million Palestinians of the occupied territories, but Hamas has rejected threats to cut the aid as blackmail and said it would turn to Arab countries for financial assistance.
The Palestinian Authority is on the verge of bankruptcy and will not be able to pay the salaries of its 150,000 employees next month without donor aid.
Egyptian prime minister Ahmed Nazif said Hamas should respect the quartet-backed road map that envisages a Palestinian state alongside a secure Israel, as well as interim peace deals Palestinian leaders made with Israel.
He also said Hamas, which scored a crushing victory over the long-dominant Fatah movement in last Wednesday's parliamentary election, should be given a chance to show its intentions.
Khaled Mashal, the director of Hamas's political bureau and its leader abroad, hinted at pragmatic solutions to the current impasse with Israel when he said at the weekend that a future Palestinian government would not ignore previous agreements signed by the ruling Palestinian Authority with Israel.
"We're realistic," he said, in reference to future relations with Israel. "We know that the issues are such that one side does not recognize the other, but that does not mean that there will not be steps that will take into account the conditions, the demands and the current phase."
At a press conference in Damascus in honour of Hamas's sweeping electoral victory, Mr Mashal also said Hamas intended to unite all the militant factions into a single Palestinian army.
Hamas wants to attract moderate independent or Fatah-affiliated politicians into a national unity government, but these diplomatic efforts were over- shadowed by violent outbursts over the weekend by disgruntled Fatah loyalists angry at the extent of their loss.
There were a number of violent clashes centred around Gaza City, Khan Younis and Ramallah as disgruntled Fatah gunmen attacked government buildings to protest over the election result and demand the resignation of Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas, who is also Fatah chairman.
There also have been several gunfights between Hamas members and police, leaving four officers and a Hamas gunman wounded. Fatah leaders have so far rejected joining any coalition with Hamas. However, analysts expect the two parties will find a way to work together, with Mr Abbas playing a key role.