RAMALLAH, Feb 17: The world will have to live with a new Hamas-Fatah coalition, even if its programme falls short of international demands, such as recognition of Israel, a defiant Mahmoud Abbas told a senior US envoy on Saturday, according to his aides.

The Palestinian president told visiting US State Department official David Welch he’ll deliver the same message — that this is the best he can do to moderate the Islamic militants — at this week’s summit with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, the aides said.

In the meeting at Abbas’ headquarters, Welch reiterated Washington’s insistence that the new coalition accept the conditions laid out by the Quartet of Mideast mediators – the US, EU, UN and Russia – that any Palestinian government recognise Israel, renounce violence and honour previous peace deals.

The emerging government’s platform falls short of that, containing only a vague promise to “respect” previous peace deals, which could be seen as implied recognition of Israel.

US officials told Abbas last week that this is not satisfactory and that in this case, Washington would shun all members of the new government, including independents and those from Abbas’ Fatah movement, Abbas’ aides have said.

Despite that warning, Abbas went ahead with forming the new coalition, based on a power-sharing deal reached last week in the Muslim holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. On Thursday, the Hamas government resigned to make way for the new coalition, and Abbas asked Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas to start forming the new coalition. Haniyeh has five weeks to do so, but said on Friday he believes he can do it in three.

The Palestinians fear a return to deadly faction fighting if the fragile power-sharing arrangement fails. In recent months, dozens of people have been killed in Hamas-Fatah fighting, and the situation remains volatile.

In the West Bank, gunmen opened fire early on Saturday on the home of a Hamas Cabinet member, Planning Minister Samir Abu Eisha, breaking some windows, but causing no injuries.

Abbas told Welch on Saturday that he had no choice but to cut a deal with Hamas, which won parliament elections last year. Abbas was elected separately in 2005 and also wields considerable power.

“President Abbas told David Welch that the Makkah agreement was the only possible agreement and the world must deal with it,” Abbas aide Nabil Abu Rdeneh.

“In the three-way meeting with Olmert and Rice, President Abbas is going to say that this government should be given a chance.,” Abu Rdeneh said.

Rice was to arrive in Jerusalem later on Saturday, for a series of meetings ahead of Monday’s three-way summit. On Saturday evening, she was to hold talks with Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni.—AP