Region | Palestinian Territories
Hamas willing to negotiate
Hamas announced on Tuesday that they were prepared to engage in indirect negotiations with Israel.
- Agencies
- Published: 00:00 January 25, 2006
Hamas announced on Tuesday that they were prepared to engage in indirect negotiations with Israel.
The move, along with omitting its longstanding call to destroy Israel, is seen as an effort by the group to soften its image before next weeks elections.
"Negotiations are a means. If Israel has anything to offer on the issues of halting attacks, withdrawal, releasing prisoners...then one thousand means can be found," Mahmoud Al Zahar told reporters in Gaza.
Zahar suggested that negotiations take place like the Lebanese talks with Israel via German mediators to secure the release of Lebanese held in Israeli jails.
"Negotiation is not a taboo," Zahar said. "But the political crime is when we sit with the Israelis and then come out with a wide smile to tell the Palestinian people that there is progress, when in fact, there is not."
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said working with Hamas posed problems as the group did not recognise Israel and had not renounced violence.
"In addition to the fact that the United States won't change its policies towards Hamas, the practical problem is that the (current) Palestinian leadership in the road map is committed to a renunciation of violence, committed to dismantling terrorist organisations, committed to a peaceful road," she said.
Polls show Wednesday's election will be a very close call. Hamas and Fatah on Monday signalled an interest in forming a coalition after the vote.
"We will not put obstacles in the way of Abu Mazen, but we want to correct his policy, to support him in how he can bring more rights for the Palestinians," said Ghazi Hamad, a Hamas candidate in Gaza.
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