Germany's Merkel to shun Hamas on first Israel trip

Angela Merkel

BERLIN - German Chancellor Angela Merkel makes her first trip to Israel and the Palestinian territories this weekend, but will shun Hamas, the Islamic militant group that won the Palestianian parlimentary elections.

Merkel will be the first European Union leader to visit the Palestinian territories since Hamas won this week's election. Her spokesman, Ulrich Wilhelm, told reporters the chancellor would meet only with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas when she visits the West Bank city of Ramallah on Tuesday.

"Our partner in dialogue is not Hamas, but Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian territories," Wilhelm said.

Hamas' charter calls for the destruction of the Jewish state and the group has carried out nearly 60 suicide bombings in Israel since the start of a Palestinian uprising in 2000.

Hamas' triumph, winning 76 seats in the 132-member Palestinian parliament against 43 for Abbas' Fatah, is being seen as a political earthquake in the Middle East, triggered by voter disenchantment with corruption.

Wilhelm reiterated the EU's call for Hamas to give up violence and recognise Israel's right to exist. He said Merkel would personally impress on Abbas what any government must do.

"The right of Israel to exist must be recognised without ifs or buts. All forms of violence must be renounced and weapons must be laid down. All agreements within the scope of the peace process must be adhered to," he said.

During her 2-day visit, Merkel will also meet Ehud Olmert, acting Israeli Prime Minister since Ariel Sharon suffered a massive stroke and fell into a coma on January 4. Among others, she is also due to meet President Moshe Katsav and Benjamin Netanyahu, leader of the Likud party.

Speaking on the 61st anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi death camp at Auschwitz, Wilhelm said Merkel would emphasise Germany's unwavering determination to help protect the Jewish state from any threats to its existence.

"The security and right of existence of Israel remains a fundamental cornerstone of German foreign policy," he said.

During World War 2, Germany's Nazi regime murdered six million Jews. In 1948, three years after the end of the war, Israel acquired statehood.

In addition to lobbying to revive the Middle East peace process, Merkel will be discussing Iran with Israel's leaders.

Iran's president has called for Israel to be "wiped off the map" and is pressing ahead with a nuclear programme that the United States, Israel and EU believe is an attempt to develop nuclear arms under cover of a civilian atomic energy programme.

Iran insists its nuclear programme is peaceful but no Western nations find this credible.

"The chancellor has made it clear that the anti-Israeli remarks of Iranian President (Mahmoud) Ahmadinejad calling into question the right of Israel to exist are totally unacceptable," Wilhelm said.

"She has complete understanding for the concern that this has caused Israel," he added.

- REUTERS