GAZA, Feb. 19 (UPI) -- Hamas accused the Bush administration of "pressures and blackmail" on the Palestinian Authority, saying Monday's summit posed no threat to a new government.
In a statement following a summit in Jerusalem which brought together PA President Mahmoud Abbas, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Hamas urged the United States to recognize the national unity government being formed.
Indicating that Rice's visit to the region and the Abbas-Olmert summit were an attempt to torpedo Palestinian efforts in forming a new national unity government, Hamas asked Washington to "respect the will of the Palestinian people and not to place obstacles in front of it." Hamas promised to support Abbas in "confronting the American and Israeli pressures and the unjust Quartet conditions."
The international peace Quartet -- United States, European Union, Russia and United Nations -- is demanding the Hamas-led Palestinian government renounce violence and recognize Israel and previous peace accords. The West has refused to release aid to the Palestinian Authority until the Hamas-led government meets these terms.
In a meeting with his outgoing cabinet, Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, of Hamas, criticized the U.S. position regarding the formation of the new government. He said it was "unfortunate that the American administration is still dealing with the old logic based on boycott, isolation and negativity towards the national unity government."
