Britain calls for end to funds for Palestinians

Britain called today for greater international efforts to cut off funding for militant Palestinian groups.

Britain called today for greater international efforts to cut off funding for militant Palestinian groups.

Foreign Secretary Mr Jack Straw called for unspecified sanctions against supporters of the militants.

"One of the things that has to come out of this appalling outrage is a greater determination by the international community to clamp down on funding and support for terrorist organisations like Hamas," Mr Straw told BBC radio.

"We have got to look at exactly what sanctions can be brought to bear - and to do so with our European colleagues."

READ MORE

The Jerusalem attack, and an Israeli reprisal which killed 10 Palestinians in Gaza, plunged US President George W. Bush's week-old "road map" initiative for peace into turmoil.

"Part of the road map was an undertaking by Arab leaders that they would end their support for terrorist organisations," Mr Straw said.

He did not specify any countries, but Britain has put increasing pressure on Syria and Iran over their support for Palestinian militant organisations.

In Paris, the Palestinian Authority's envoy to France Ms Leila Shahid said the authority had asked countries to stop financing the Islamic group Hamas, but that the group was also funded by charitable donations from western Muslims.