Hamas Assails US Over Regime Change Report

[Violet_Crumble]

JERUSALEM (AP) - Hamas derided the United States and Israel on Tuesday following reports they were exploring ways to topple the militants' incoming government.

Israeli security officials said they were looking at ways to force Hamas from power, and were focusing on an economic squeeze that would prompt Palestinians to clamor for the return of Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas' ousted Fatah Party. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter with the media.

But Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev said, ``There is no such plan.''

The New York Times, citing anonymous U.S. and Israeli officials, reported Tuesday that the United States and Israel were considering a campaign to starve the Palestinian Authority of cash so Palestinians would grow disillusioned with Hamas and bring down a Hamas government.

U.S. Embassy spokesman Stewart Tuttle had no immediate comment.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-5617488,00.html

[no_hypocrisy]

1. How surprised can Hamas be, re regime change?

They would have been confused if it wasn't announced.

[Englander]

2. NYT article;

U.S. and Israelis Are Said to Talk of Hamas Ouster

By STEVEN ERLANGER

JERUSALEM, Feb. 13 — The United States and Israel are discussing ways to destabilize the Palestinian government so that newly elected Hamas officials will fail and elections will be called again, according to Israeli officials and Western diplomats.

The intention is to starve the Palestinian Authority of money and international connections to the point where, some months from now, its president, Mahmoud Abbas, is compelled to call a new election. The hope is that Palestinians will be so unhappy with life under Hamas that they will return to office a reformed and chastened Fatah movement.

The officials also argue that a close look at the election results shows that Hamas won a smaller mandate than previously understood.

The officials and diplomats, who said this approach was being discussed at the highest levels of the State Department and the Israeli government, spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak publicly on the issue.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/14/international/middleeast/14mideast.html?ei=5088&en=957986e4a40ff0c2&ex=1297573200&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&pagewanted=print