“In the interest of seeing that these funds not potentially make their way into the coffers of a future Palestinian government that might not recognise the right of Israel to exist… we’ve asked for it to be returned,” US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said.
Hamas, an organisation listed as a terrorist group by the US, won a stunning electoral victory giving it control of the Palestinian Authority last month.
With a new government about to be sworn-in this weekend, the US is taking a strong stand against the incoming Hamas administration.
But speaking in Washington ahead of a visit to the Middle East, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said her government would remain committed to implementing the US-backed Middle East peace ‘road map’ if Hamas cooperates.
“There is no reason that the Palestinian people out to be denied statehood, a more peaceful life, an end to the kind of daily humiliations to which they are currently subjected,” Ms Rice said.
“There’s no reason that can’t all come to an end and we can’t have a two-state solution if there is a Palestinian government that is prepared to pursue it.”
US committed to humanitarian aid
Ms Rice also stood by Washington’s commitment to ensure humanitarian aid for Palestinians, who are among the world’s most needy populations.
“The United States of America is not going to stop giving money for the immunization of Palestinian children. It would be against our values to do so,” Ms Rice said.
“We will find a way to respond to those humanitarian needs. We have long-established ties either through the UN and through some non-governmental organisations that I think will allow us to do that,” she added.
But just as adamantly, Ms Rice urged other governments from stepping in to fund the Palestinian Authority now that the US has cut its financial ties.
“I would hope that any state that is considering funding a Hamas-led government would think about the implications of that for the Middle East and for the Middle East peace process,” the state secretary said.
US to fund Syrian ‘reformers’
Meanwhile, the US has announced a fund of US$5 million (A$6.75m) to help democratic reformers in Syria.
Syria, along with Iran and Hizbollah, has been labelled by Washington as part of a “nexus” bent on destabilising the Middle East region.
“There is no doubt that Syria, Iran and Hizbollah are a problem for the future course of Lebanon’s development and also therefore the future course of the region,” Ms Rice said.
As part of its strategy to foster democratic development in the region, the US has been pursuing a Middle East Partnership Initiative since 2002, and is now to provide grants to encourage “accelerating the work of reformers” in Syria.
US hits out at Iran
The administration of US President George W Bush also plans to ask Congress for US$75 million (A$100m) to expand television broadcasts in Iran.
The US has been at loggerheads with Iran over its resumed uranium enrichment programme which Washington suspects is being used to secretly build nuclear weapons.
The Secretary of State has stepped up campaign against Iran this week amid allegations the government of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is supporting terrorism, Iraqi insurgents and Palestinian militants.
“Iran is pursuing policies that are destabilising the region, and in fact they are doing it, it appears, in more places than before,” Ms Rice told Arab media at a State Department press conference.
Ms Rice indicated that the US would be pushing for tougher diplomatic action to force Iran into line after succeeding in referring Iran to the UN Security Council over its nuclear activities last month.
“I think that they will run out of time because I believe that the world will get more and more insistent, measures will get tougher and tougher,” Ms Rice said.
President Ahmadinejad has denied Tehran is developing a nuclear arsenal, saying the programme is purely for civilian purposes.