US:US president George Bush is asking Congress to provide around $40 million for security forces loyal to Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority, as the US tries to bolster his position with a view to forging a peace deal with Israel.
Mr Bush has told Congress he would like Mr Abbas's forces to receive the aid, which would be for training, uniforms, vehicles and other support, a senior US official said yesterday.
Secretary of state Condoleezza Rice is expected to try to revive the peace process in a trip to the area later this month.
The administration wants to make sure US assistance does not fall into the hands of Hamas, which now runs most of the Palestinian government and is vying with Mr Abbas for overall control. Hamas has reacted angrily to the funding plan.
Spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said: "The American funding is not based on supporting populations or governments but on supporting an American project to divide populations ... This is an American policy based on terrorism and dividing and ruling."
State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters that "non-lethal military assistance" was designed to "build up those responsible security forces to help provide security in Gaza, in the West Bank, help stop terror attacks" and help regulate checkpoints to open more passages for Palestinians to travel.
"We are being very careful and scrupulous in building in safeguards" to make sure the equipment does not get to Hamas, he said.
Under US law and Bush administration policy, any form of assistance to the Palestinians must sidetrack Hamas. The US is demanding that Hamas pledge to cease violence and recognise the state of Israel. - (AP)