Rice hopes to increase humanitarian aid to Palestinians

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil - The United States is considering increasing humanitarian aid to the Palestinians, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said today, and she urged the militant group Hamas to choose a peaceful path in government.

Speaking to reporters en route to Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, Rice said Hamas must make its intentions clear.

"The road map is the way for a better life for the Palestinian people. Whatever government they form needs to make clear to the international community pretty soon that that will be the policy of the government," she said, referring to a US-backed peace plan.

The State Department is reviewing all aid to the Palestinians to ensure no US funds reach Hamas, following its landslide election victory in January. Hamas is listed by the United States as a terrorist group.

While prevented under US law from giving aid directly to a Hamas-led government, Rice said she hoped the United States could provide more humanitarian aid to the Palestinians.

"We are looking at ways to even increase our humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people during this period of time, but there are important choices that the Palestinian people face concerning the road map and the Quartet requirements," she said.

The Quartet of international powers trying to broker Middle Eastern peace -- Russia, the United States, the European Union and the United Nations -- wants Hamas to renounce violence, recognize Israel and acknowledge previous accords between the Israelis and the Palestinians.

The United States has made clear no humanitarian aid will be channeled to a Hamas-led government until these conditions are met, but it does not want to be seen as ignoring the plight of the Palestinian people by cutting all assistance.

Rice did not indicate whether she would ask Congress for more humanitarian aid. It is more likely that any new help will come from funds previously earmarked for the Palestinian Authority.

Earlier this month, on the request of Washington, the interim Palestinian Authority returned US$30 million in US aid and it has promised to refund a further US$20 million before Hamas officially takes over, possibly by the end of March.

US officials have said this US$50 million could be redirected to provide humanitarian aid.

The United States has given more than US$1.5 billion in the Palestinians over the past decade, mostly through nongovernmental organizations or UN agencies.

Rice said she would encourage Indonesian officials during her two-day visit to pressure Hamas to meet the Quartet's requirements.

- REUTERS