The European Union said on Monday it would resume financial aid to the new Fatah-led Palestinian government, as part of international efforts to isolate Hamas in its Gaza stronghold.
The EU, along with other Western donors, cut off aid after the Islamist movement won a general election in January 2006, maintaining the embargo even after ministers from the secular Fatah organisation joined a new unity government this March.
On Sunday, the Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, whose Fatah group was routed by Hamas fighters in fierce battles inside Gaza last week, swore in a new government in Ramallah in the West Bank, headed by a politically moderate economist, Salam Fayyad.
The EU’s foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, said on Monday the bloc was ready to restore financial aid to the new administration.
”There will be a direct relationship, economically, with the government,” he told reporters before a meeting in Luxembourg.
”Part of the money will be direct,” he said, calling on Fayyad to put together a budget to help residents of Gaza as well as the West Bank, which is still run largely by Fatah forces.
The EU and United States, along with Israel, are keen to isolate Hamas inside Gaza as far as possible, while not excessively affecting the lives of the 1,5-million people who live inside the territory, many of whom are already dependent on international food aid.
Israel on Monday resumed normal fuel supplies to Gaza following concerns that its decision to cut supplies off would see people running out of fuel for vehicles and stoves within days.
Gaza residents rushed to stock up on petrol and food on Sunday after Dor Alon, the private Israeli fuel company that supplies the territory, said it would only send shipments to power stations.
On Monday the fuel company said it had resumed normal supplies after consulting the ”relevant authorities”, including the Israeli army. Aides to Abbas had asked Dor Alon to restore normal supplies.
While fuel supplies have resumed, the Karni crossing, through which imports and exports to Gaza flow, is closed. According to a letter from an Israeli government official to the country’s customs agents, reported by the Reuters news agency, ”no cargo destined for the strip is to be released until further notice”.
The new prime minister issued a direct appeal to Gazans as he took office along with a Cabinet of technocrats who are members of neither Hamas nor Fatah. ”The first priority is security and the security situation. The mission will be difficult and hard, but not impossible,” Fayyad said.
Addressing residents in Gaza, he said: ”You are in our hearts, the top of our agenda. The dark images, the shameful things that are alien to our traditions … are not going to stop us.”
The Palestinian Authority retains control of the areas of the West Bank that Israel allows it to control but Hamas demolished its hold on Gaza last week. While Hamas has much support in the West Bank, it lacks the level of organisation there that it has in Gaza.
Hamas officials have been trying to create some normality in Gaza after months of instability and violence.
Volunteers from Hamas directed traffic on Sunday while its militias began trying to collect weapons held by families. However, Hamas does not have the power to open borders or import and export goods without cooperating with Egypt and Israel, which do not recognise its seizure of power.
The Hamas Prime Minister, Ismail Haniyeh, who was sacked by Abbas on Thursday, has insisted he remains in power and the new government is illegal.
He said Hamas was forced to take action against Fatah security forces last week after a series of attacks against Hamas, including an attack on his home.
In an interview with France’s Le Figaro, he said: ”It was necessary to bring an end to this disorder. Calm has returned and I think that the security situation will be much better than before. There will be one legitimate armed force and we will bring law and discipline to Gaza.” – Guardian Unlimited Â