Abbas may dissolve Hamas government

RAMALLAH, West Bank - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said he will replace the Hamas-led government with a panel of professionals if the militant group doesn't agree to govern with his party, suggesting a new, tough line in a bid to ease crippling sanctions.

The message was relayed to visiting EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana by Palestinian officials, who agreed Friday to discuss the confidential information with The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media.

The moderate Palestinian president has raised the idea before but promised not to force it on a reluctant Hamas. His new position signaled a willingness to take a stronger stance against Hamas in an effort to ease Western sanctions designed to force the Islamic group to moderate its militantly anti- Israel ideology.

Solana, in the region trying to breathe new life into peace efforts, urged Palestinian leaders to move urgently to form a so-called national unity government and to ease the deepening plight of the Palestinian people.

After meeting with Abbas on Friday, Solana told reporters that the Palestinian leader "is determined to move the process of the government" forward.

Fawzi Barhoum, a Hamas spokesman in Gaza, said Hamas was unaware of Abbas' two-week deadline.

"I don't think it is wise of Abu Mazen to aggravate this crisis," Barhoum said, referring to Abbas by his commonly used name.

"Nevertheless, our position is firm: We are working on forming a national unity government," he said.

The EU, U.S. and other donors cut off hundreds of millions of dollars of aid to the Palestinian Authority after the Hamas-led government took office in March. Despite growing hardship in the Palestinian areas, Hamas has rejected international calls to renounce violence and recognize Israel's right to exist.

Abbas, seeking to get the sanctions lifted, has been pushing the Islamic group to enter into a coalition with his more moderate Fatah party. After months of unsuccessful negotiations, Abbas said Thursday there was no point in further dialogue. Nevertheless, Hamas and Fatah officials are to meet in Damascus under Syria's sponsorship in coming days to try to cobble together an alliance.

Abbas, elected separately in 2005, has the authority to dismiss the government. But any new Cabinet would require the approval of the Hamas-controlled government, and if Abbas fails to win that approval, he could be forced to call new elections. Polls show Fatah and Hamas virtually tied, however, and new elections would be a risky move.

The Fatah-Hamas struggle has touched off deadly clashes between rival security forces, and Palestinian officials from both parties said they would increase police presence on the streets of Gaza following talk of heightened unrest on Saturday.

During a stop in a West Bank refugee camp on Friday, Solana expressed hope the Palestinians would soon form a new government more acceptable to the international community because sanctions have taken a heavy toll on ordinary Palestinians.

"The problem is now that the political solution may arrive too late. Things may get too bad that it will be difficult to recuperate. We have to reverse the situation," he said during his visit to the Askar camp.

Solana, who is on a six-day mission to the region, met with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Wednesday and left for Lebanon on Friday. He has meetings planned in Egypt on Sunday.

In violence on Friday, Israeli troops killed three Palestinians in clashes in the West Bank.

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