Moscow: Russia said on Saturday it had promised emergency aid to the Hamas-led Palestinian National Authority, breaking with fellow mediators the EU and Washington which have stopped funding to try to force Hamas to recognise Israel.
A Foreign Ministry statement said the offer came in a telephone conversation on Friday between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
"Mahmoud Abbas highly appreciated the intention of Russia, confirmed by Lavrov, to grant the Hamas-led Palestinian National Authority urgent financial aid in the nearest time," it said.
Russia is a member of the Quartet of Middle East mediators searching for an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, along with the United Nations, the EU and the United States.
The United States and the European Union have halted direct aid to the PNA because it has not renounced violence, recognised Israel or agreed to abide by interim peace deals.
Washington has barred American citizens and organisations from most business dealings with the PNA. Israel has also blocked the transfer of customs and tax receipts.
Larvov had earlier criticised the halting of aid, though he has urged Hamas to meet the demands of international mediators. He said the only way to make Hamas meet international demands was to work with it, not boycott it.
