The Hamas-led Palestinian government has welcomed steps taken by the Middle East Quartet to resume payments but criticised an enduring political boycott. Ghazi Hamad, the government spokesman, said in a statement that: "The government appreciates the efforts deployed by the international parties to alleviate the economic siege imposed on the Palestinian people ... but deeply regrets the Quartet's insistence on attaching pre-conditions to the Palestinian government." The Quartet - which comprises the US, the UN, Russia and the EU - announced what it called a "temporary international mechanism" on Tuesday to resume aid payments to the Palestinians, but without dealing directly with Hamas. The EU external relations commissioner, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, said details of the proposal should be fleshed out in the coming weeks.
The Palestinian Authority has been unable to pay employees for two months since the US and EU froze aid payments in protest over Hamas's unwillingness to change its founding principles. The Quartet reiterated demands after its meeting in New York that Hamas should renounce the use of violence, recognise Israel and respect previous international accords. It also called on Israel to stop settlement expansion.
