UPDATED ON:
Monday, August 13, 2007
13:43 Mecca time, 10:43 GMT
 
News Europe
UK criticised over Hamas boycott
The EU, US and Israel have boycotted Hamas
since  it won elections in 2006 [EPA]


A British parliamentary committee has released a report that is highly critical of the country's foreign policy in the Middle East.

The foreign affairs committee report said sanctions against Hamas were "counterproductive", and that the failure to lift the boycott of Gaza led to the collapse of the Palestinian unity government.
The all-party report, published on Monday, said the government should "urgently" talk to Hamas.

It said Tony Blair, the former British prime minister, should personally engage with Hamas to help reconciliation in his role as envoy for the Middle East Quartet - the UN, the EU, the US and Russia.
Hamas has been isolated because of its refusal to meet three criteria: recognition of Israel's right to exist, renunciation of violence and adherence to interim peace deals with Israel.

Michael Gapes, chairman of the committee, said the the world's lack of a positive response had contributed to the deteriorating situation.

Factional fighting

Fighting between Hamas and the rival Fatah movement eventually led to Hamas taking control of the Gaza Strip in June, while Fatah - Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas's movement - administered the West Bank.
 
Gapes said: "If we're ever going to get a Palestinian state alongside a secure Israel, then we've got to have the involvement of Gaza as well as the West Bank and, frankly, operating on any other basis will not give us a two-state solution."

The committee also criticises Blair for not calling for an immediate end to the war between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah movement last summer, concluding that his failure to speak out damaged Britain's reputation and led to high casualties among civilians.

Moreover, the report also said that the US's so-called "surge" tactic in Iraq was likely to fail. It called on the British government to help Iraqi factions reach agreement on key issues.
 Source: Agencies
 
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