Iran's Khatami urges more oil money to Palestinians

Speaking at a meeting of the Islamic Development Bank, which gives loans to Muslim countries, Khatami said the United States and Israel were depriving Palestinians of their rights by withholding funds and that Islamic states needed to do more to help.

The Hamas-led Palestinian Authority is cash-strapped because the United States and its allies have cut off aid to the body to pressure Hamas to renounce violence and recognise Israel. Hamas's charter calls for the destruction of the Jewish state.

"All those who respect the rights of human beings should deposit in this fund for the Palestinian government," he said. "Given the rise in oil prices the producer countries should expect to deposit 1 percent of their oil revenues," Khatami said.

Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have pledged funds totalling more than $200 million. But the Palestinian Authority cannot access the money because local, regional and international banks have balked at making the transfers, fearing sanctions by Washington, which considers Hamas a terrorist group.

The Hamas-led government is $1.3 billion in debt and has no income.

Khatami said the money from 1 percent of oil revenues would amount to between $2 billion and $3 billion and should be divided between donations and a long-term, interest-free loan.

The money should go towards health, education and housing projects, he said.

"The new government has been elected by democratic rule and we want to help them. The United States and Israel need to understand that it is better to work with an elected government rather than a national movement," he told reporters.

"I have no doubt that governments or any person in the Islamic world will step in to provide for this initiative," he said.

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