Hamas: World must not fear us

Gaza City: Mahmoud Al Zahar's new home glimmers amid the dust of the Tel Al Howar district of Gaza City. His old one, which stood on the same spot, was demolished by an air strike in 2003 designed to kill the man Israel considered its most deadly enemy.

But unlike Shaikh Ahmad Yassin, Al Zahar escaped with his life. Now he is at the head of a democratically elected Hamas which shocked the world by winning power in last week's Palestinian election.

In an interview with the Sunday Telegraph, however, Al Zahar said that he was not in the least surprised by the results. "Maybe you did not expect them," he said, insulted. "But we did."

Al Zahar lives up to his reputation as the flinty, unyielding face of Hamas.

"We are not going to recognise Israel," he said. But he called on the world to recognise Hamas.

"The outside world must not fear us," he said, adding that while Hamas did not yet have official contact with the West, "we have channels of communication". He paused, then added: "We meet all the time."

Unclear

"Spies and thieves must fear us," he said. The "thieves", he added, in a reference to Israel, "are those who steal our land".

Across town, in a much poorer Gaza City neighbourhood, Esmail Haniya was also receiving guests.

Like Al Zahar, he was a disciple of Yassin. But unlike Al Zahar, he is considered a moderate the public, presentable face of the group.

"We must not cancel everything," he said, in reference to the series of deals and accords that the Palestinian National Authority has so far signed with Israel. "There is a reality and we must deal with it."

Between them, Al Zahar and Haniya represent the faces once known only by fellow Hamas members and Israeli elimination teams. Now they are the hard and soft of the Janus face which Hamas will present to the world. But despite their prominence, it remains unclear whether either man will grasp the top job in the new government.