WASHINGTON, Feb. 14 (Xinhuanet) -- The United States denied Tuesday that it was discussing with Israel ways to destabilize a Palestinian government led by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas).

    "There's no plot," said White House spokesman Scott McClellan. "We have the same conversations with the government of Israel that we have with Arab governments and European governments and others."

    Reiterating U.S. policy on Hamas, McClellan said, "Hamas has a choice to make. If it wants to realize better relations with the international community, then Hamas must renounce violence, recognize Israel, and disarm."

    McClellan made the remarks after the New York Times reported Tuesday that the United States and Israel are discussing ways to destabilize the Palestinian government so that newly elected Hamas officials will fail and elections will be called again.

    The leading U.S. newspaper, citing unidentified Israeli officials and Western diplomats, said Washington and Jerusalem were trying to starve the Palestinian authority of money and global contacts with a view to force its president, Mahmud Abbas, to call a new election.

    "That's not the case," McClellan said. "There is a free and fair election that took place. The Palestinian people spoke very clearly and we have stated what our views are when it comes to the election."

    However, the spokesman renewed American warning that it may cut aid to the Palestinians if Hamas refuses to renounce violence against Israel.

    "We want a partner in peace, and you can't have a partner in peace if their policy is one based on engaging in terrorism and violence and not recognizing the right of Israel to exist," he noted.

    "Palestinian officials, for years, have recognized Israel's right to exist and worked in negotiation toward peace. If the Palestinians were to change that decade-old policy, then their relations with the international community would change as well," he warned.

    Hamas, considered a terrorist organization by Washington, won acrushing victory over the long-dominant Fatah group in an election on Jan. 25. Enditem