LOCAL LAWMAKERS SUPPORT TOUGH STANCE WITH HAMAS.

Byline: Lisa Friedman Washington Bureau

Congress will almost certainly cut off U.S. aid to Palestinians if the militant Islamic group Hamas - which won a landslide victory in Wednesday's parliamentary election - refuses to renounce terrorism, Southern California members of Congress said Friday.

Lawmakers including Reps. Brad Sherman, D-Sherman Oaks; Howard Berman, D-Van Nuys; Dana Rohrabacher, R-Huntington Beach; and Adam Schiff, D-Pasadena, all sit on the House International Relations Committee that oversees U.S. foreign aid.

Congress, they predicted, will overwhelmingly support ending assistance to a Hamas-led Palestinian government.

``Obviously, not a penny should go to any entity that is controlled by, partially controlled by or even cooperates with terrorists,'' Sherman said.

Already Friday, the State Department vowed to review $150 million in aid the U.S. is providing this year for Palestinian development in the West Bank and Gaza.

In the U.S. Senate, lawmakers introduced nonbinding legislation condemning Hamas and expressing support for ending U.S. aid if the party controlling the Palestinian parliament advocates the destruction of Israel - which Hamas currently does.

Schiff said Friday he expects the House to pass a similar resolution when it reconvenes next week. He also noted that despite Europe's threats to halt aid as well, he is concerned some will reinstate aid even if Hamas does not renounce terrorism.

``Congress and the administration need to keep the pressure on Europe not to deal with Hamas,'' he said.

Schiff left the door open, however, to Congress providing assistance to the Palestinian people via private entities not connected with Hamas.

Sherman, on the other hand, said he is skeptical that can be done. He said Congress should concentrate its foreign assistance elsewhere.

``We have very limited foreign aid dollars,'' Sherman said, adding that there is ``far more suffering in two dozen countries in Africa than there is in the West Bank and Gaza combined.''

Rohrabacher said he thinks Congress and the Bush administration should take a ``carrot and stick'' approach and also send a message that the U.S. is willing to work with Hamas if it changes its position.

``I think that they need to know the consequences - that America is not going to be giving any financial assistance to people who are committed to violent actions against their neighbor, especially when that neighbor is Israel, which is a friend of the United States,'' Rohrabacher said.

But, he added, ``we have to make sure that the message is sent that if indeed Hamas and the Palestinians are trying to solve the problems and create a peaceful Middle East, that we're going to be working with them and there is no fixed attitude of opposition to them in our minds.''

Schiff said Israel will quickly conclude it does not have a partner in seeking a peaceful solution to the conflict and continue its unilateral withdrawal from parts of the West Bank.

``Congress will support Israel in that,'' Schiff predicted.

He said he believes Congress' actions in regard to Hamas will be overwhelmingly bipartisan.

``We should really show no daylight between our position and the administration's,'' he said.

President George W. Bush said Friday that the United States would cut aid to the Palestinian government unless Hamas abolishes the militant arm of its party and stops calling for the destruction of Israel.

``And if they don't we won't deal with them,'' Bush said in an interview aired on ``The CBS Evening News.''

``The aid packages won't go forward,'' the president said. ``That's their decision to make, but we won't be providing help to a government that wants to destroy our ally and friend.''

The U.S. views Hamas as a terrorist organization, and if it takes control of the Palestinian government, as it appears likely, all U.S. aid to the Palestinian people will be put under review, the Bush administration said.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Lisa Friedman, [phone]

lisa.friedman(at)langnews.com