Hamas reiterates refusal to recognise Israel

"It is so easy to be complacent ... We are asked to recognise Israel. We can do so but we will not, because that would lead to a double loss and would achieve nothing," Meshaal said after his arrival in Manama late Monday.

"Those who believe that negotiations and accepting the proposed conditions would lead us to get our rights are deluded," he told an Islamist gathering in the Gulf kingdom.

Meshaal called on Arab governments instead to utilise the stunning Hamas win in the January Palestinian elections to strengthen their position "for Arab and Islamic benefits".

"Do you need anyone to exert pressure? Hamas is ready ... Let Hamas be your pressuring arm," he said.

Later, Meshaal told a press conference none of the Arab leaders he had met with so far on his regional tour have asked the movement to recognise Israel, and he called on them to translate their support into concrete financial aide when they meet at the Arab Summit in Khartoum in one week.

"We hope figures will be made more precise in Khartoum," he said.

He left Bahrain Tuesday heading to oil-rich Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates for talks with officials there. He is also expected to visit Kuwait and Libya.

Regional powerhouse Saudi Arabia, which Meshaal visited last week, has vowed to continue its financial support of the Palestinian authority without being more specific.

Yemen meanwhile, which Meshaal visited Monday, said Tuesday it had opened three bank accounts to collect donations for Palestinians.

Prime minister-designate Ismail Haniya of Hamas presented Sunday a proposed cabinet list dominated by members of the movement to Palestinian Authority president Mahmud Abbas.

Abbas and the international community has called on Hamas to recognise Israel, renounce its armed struggle and respect agreements with the Jewish state.

The European Union -- by far the biggest donor to the Palestinians with annual contributions of some 600 million dollars -- has made future aid conditional on the new Hamas-led cabinet accepting these demands.

The United States is also leading moves to cut financial aid to a government led by what it regards as a terrorist organisation.

Israel has already vowed not to have dealings with a Hamas-led government, and to continue to withhold customs and value-added tax receipts collected on behalf of the Palestinians, until the movement changes its platform.

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