U.S. Wary of Palestinian Plan

Leaders of the radical Islamic group, and those of the rival Fatah faction, announced this week that they were close to completing a deal that they hoped would persuade the West to end an aid cutoff that had bankrupted the government and set off factional fighting.

U.S. officials, who consider Hamas a terrorist group, have halted all but direct humanitarian aid since Hamas came to power in January elections. U.S. officials have said they want to avert a humanitarian catastrophe in the territories, but noted Tuesday that the Palestinian proposal might not be enough to end the aid ban.

The U.S. bind was complicated by Europe's warm reaction to the Palestinian unity government plan, posing a risk that a new transatlantic rift could develop over the issue. British Prime Minister Tony Blair said this week after a visit to the region that it might be possible for the West to deal with a unified government.

Tom Casey, a State Department spokesman, said U.S. officials would look at details of the plan, which have not been completed.

"We are continuing to be mindful of the humanitarian needs of the Palestinian people," Casey said. But he said that before aid could be resumed, the Palestinians would need to renounce violence, recognize Israel's right to exist and accept previous agreements between Israel and the Palestinians.

"From what we have seen so far, we are certainly concerned" that the coalition government does not accept those demands, Casey said. The stipulations were laid out in January by the U.S., the United Nations, the European Union and Russia.

Israeli officials did not close the door on potential relations with a unity government when the deal was announced Monday by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, the leader of Fatah.

On Tuesday, an Israeli official sounded more skeptical, saying the deal seemed to be an effort to put a more presentable face on the government without making key changes or concessions.

Restoring aid would lift the pressure on Hamas just when the crunch was beginning to have an effect, the official said, noting that polls showed public support in the territories shifting away from Hamas and toward Fatah. The official spoke on condition of anonymity, citing the sensitivity of the diplomacy underway.