WASHINGTON, April 7 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) - The U.S. warned the Palestinian Authority on Tuesday, April 6, against integrating Hamas into its political structure or allowing it a role after a possible Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.

"Our view is that, far from being welcomed into any partnership or cooperation, Hamas should be ostracized and disempowered as an organization," U.S. State Department deputy spokesman Adam Ereli told reporters.

"We consider Hamas a terrorist organization," Agence France-Presse (AFP) quoted him as saying.

Washington has long been laying pressures on the Palestinian Authority to unleashing relentless campaign against resistance movements, particularly Hamas.

Ereli's comments came after Palestinian President Yasser Arafat reiterated a desire to bring the resistance movement into the Palestinian Authority fold.

In an interview with the German weekly Focus, the Palestinian leader supported Hamas' integration into the PA.

"Yes. They [Hamas] were there from the beginning, even if they did later break away," he said.

The Palestinian newspaper Al Ayyam said Arafat was willing to include Hamas and Islamic Jihad in a unified leadership group, though it did not specify what the group's function would be.

Al Ayyam quoted Fatah Central Committee member Hani al-Hassan as saying the new leadership group could easily coexist alongside the existing leadership structure.

"Forming a unified Palestinian leadership does not contradict the Palestinian Authority as it is an internal Palestinian factional issue," it quoted him as saying.

The proposed decision-making body would only be temporary and not replace the PLO, as it would remain under the control of Arafat – something with which Hamas officials appear uneasy, reported Reuters.

Not Symbolic

Responding to Arafat’s call, Hamas said it was ready to join the Palestinian Authority, but will not be restricted to a symbolic role.

"We do not want to become political partners by joining already-existing institutions on a quota basis but without securing any influence on the political decision-making, as is the case for several parties," said Said Siam, a leading Hamas figure.

"We want a political partnership along new guidelines which take into account the weight of the various movements," he added.

Hamas enjoys a popularity in Gaza Strip that would guarantee it a major political clout.

Palestinian Authority officials have indicated in the past they would be willing to cooperate with Hamas if it recognized the authority's leadership, reported the Israeli Haaretz daily, arguing the day Hamas joins the PA is still far off.

Unlike other movements, Hamas has declined to join the umbrella Palestine Liberation Organization - dominated by Arafat’s Fatah – and refused to take part in the first Palestinian elections back in 1996.

But its willingness to enter the political mainstream has been stoked by the prospect of an Israeli pullout from Gaza Strip as part of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's unilateral "disengagement plan".

Over the past several days, the Palestinian Authority has been holding meetings with Palestinian resistance groups on how to run the Gaza Strip after a possible Israeli withdrawal.

However, the Bush administration is rather seeking to "internationalize" the plan and allow the contribution of the U.N., the European Union and Arab parties after the potential withdrawal.

Washington had earlier voiced its opposition to any such unilateral moves, which fell outside the scope of the internationally-backed roadmap for peace but later retracted its opposition after Sharon rallied support for his controversial plan.

U.S. officials have said they fear a Hamas takeover if Israel withdraws troops especially that some 7,500 Jewish settlers are living in settles in Gaza alongside more than 1.3 million Palestinians.

But Hamas has said it does not aim to seize Gaza and last week finalized its own plan for sharing power.