U.S. reiterates suspension of contact with Palestinian Government

In a press conference Friday, U.S. officials reiterated their directive, first announced Wednesday, that the U.S. will bar its officials from dealing with officials of the Palestinian Government agencies that are controlled by Hamas, informed media sources reported.
"We’ve advised our mission in Jerusalem, as well as other missions around the world that … there should be no contact between government officials and PA officials who are under the authority of the prime minister or any other minister in the Hamas-led government. This includes working-level officials in those ministries," deputy State Department spokesman Adam Ereli told reporters on Friday.

Ereli also said that the ban includes all agencies that have working relations with the government.

"If they’re working in a Hamas-led ministry, no matter what their affiliation is, we’re not going to have contact with them."

The Palestinian government led by Prime Minister Ismael Haniya, which is made up mostly by Hamas members and supporters, was endorsed by the Palestinian legislature despite the refusal of the rest of the parliamentary blocs to join the government.

Hamas has an absolute majority in the Palestinian legislature after its main rival, Fatah, who was the ruling party for 10 years, failed to win the votes of the Palestinians.

contacts with the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and his staff will continue, the source added.

Ereli said American diplomats will continue to deal with agencies that work directly under the President’s authority, including the Palestinian ambassador to Washington, Afief Safieh.

On the other hand, the Quartet envoys are to meet in Amman, to discuss aid to PA.

Representatives of the United States, European Union, Russia and the United Nations will meet to discuss how to continue humanitarian aid to the Palestinians while by-passing Hamas-controlled ministries.