EU threat to axe Palestinian aid

Javier Solana, the EU foreign policy chief, has said tens of millions of dollars of aid to the Palestinian Authority could be halted if the Islamist group wins elections next month and fails to renounce violence.

Hamas has swept municipal elections in several West Bank cities last week, reflecting Palestinian dissatisfaction with the ruling Fatah party.

The strong showing has raised the possibility that Hamas could win the Palestinian parliamentary elections on 25 January.

"All the political parties have the right to be part of the elections, but there is a certain code of conduct that has to be accepted by everybody," Solana told reporters during a visit to Tel Aviv. "It's very difficult that parties who do not condemn violence ... can be partners for the future."

Solana said that an administration including a party which failed to clearly reject violence and recognise Israel's right to exist could not continue to receive EU funding.

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