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International News Title: Israel Warns Iran Against Palestinian Aid Iran Says It Will Finance a Palestinian Authority Run by Hamas, Bringing a Warning From Israel The Associated Press TEHRAN, Iran - Iran offered Wednesday to help finance a Palestinian Authority run by the Hamas militant group, state radio said in a report that brought a quick warning from Israel that it would do all it could legally to stop the Palestinians from receiving the money. The secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Ali Larijani, announced the offer after a meeting with Khaled Mashaal, the political leader of the Hamas, in Tehran, radio said. Larijani said the decision was taken after the United States said it would not provide aid to an authority governed by Hamas until the group renounced violence, recognized Israel and agreed to abide by existing agreements between Israel and the Palestinians. "The United States proved that it would not support democracy after it cut its aid to the Palestinian government after Hamas won the elections. We will certainly help the Palestinians," Larijani said, Iran radio reported. The United States and European Union, which consider Hamas a terrorist group, have said they will halt their grants of hundreds of millions of dollars to the Palestinian Authority after a Hamas government takes office unless it changes its attitude toward Israel and violence. Hamas has long called for the destruction of Israel and has refused to negotiate with the Jewish state. Its leaders have refused to change their policies since the group won last month's Palestinian elections by a landslide. Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas asked moderate Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh on Tuesday to form a government. In Jerusalem, Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev said: "The incoming Palestinian leadership has to decide if it wants to be part of the legitimate international community or if it wants, through its own actions, to align itself with international pariahs." Israel regards Iran as a pariah for its support of militant groups such as Hamas and the Lebanese Hezbollah, and it accuses Tehran of seeking to produce nuclear weapons a charge Iran denies. Last year Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Israel should be "wiped out." Asked if Israel would try to block the Iranian money, Regev replied that as the money would be going to a "terrorist" leadership, "we would be entitled to use all legal means to prevent that money from reaching its destination." However, Hamas says it already receives small amounts of Iranian funds. The group has said it that it does not want to accept large amounts of Iranian aid because it needs to preserve its independence. Mashaal and his delegation were in Iran on the latest stop of a tour of Arab and Islamic nations aimed at drumming up support as Israel and the United States move to cut off money to the Palestinians. In Cairo on Wednesday, Israeli Labor Party leader Amir Peretz called for Arabs to understand that his country could not deal with Hamas. "It is a clear and moral position that we cannot recognize a party that calls for Israel's destruction," Peretz told reporters after talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. Israel had nothing against the Palestinians or Muslims and Arabs, "our fight is only against terror," Peretz said. Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had called Monday for Muslim nations to provide aid to a Hamas-led government and expressed support for the group's refusal to recognize Israel. Ahmadinejad also indicated Monday that Hamas should not fear the West's threat to cut off funds. "Since the divine treasures are infinite, you should not be concerned about economic issues," IRNA quoted Ahmadinejad as saying. Israel and the United States have long accused Iran of giving financial and material support to Hamas. But Iran has always replied it gives only moral backing. Hamas suicide bombers have killed hundreds of Israelis. But the group has respected an informal cease-fire since early last year.
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