07 April, 2006
The European Union has frozen direct aid payments to the Hamas-led Palestinian Authority because of its refusal to renounce violence and recognize Israel, an EU official said on Friday. EU Commission spokeswoman Emma Udwin said that pending a decision by EU foreign ministers next week on the issue of future assistance, there would be "no payments to or through the Palestinian Authority. The EU executive was adopting "a policy of maximum prudence" so as not to prejudge the ministers' discussion next Monday in Luxembourg, she said, adding that Hamas had not yet met the international community's conditions of recognizing Israel, renouncing violence and accepting past peace agreements.