Hamas lists terms for Israel

Jerusalem: The Palestinian prime minister-designate said Hamas is "ready to recognise" Israel if it gives the Palestinian people their full rights and a state in lands occupied since 1967, including the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

Hamas chose Esmail Haniya, a 43-year-old Gazan viewed by many Palestinians as a pragmatist, as the new prime minister after sweeping the elections on January 25. The group hopes to complete forming a Palestinian government within two weeks.

"If Israel declares that it will give the Palestinian people a state and give them back all their rights, then we are ready to recognise them," Haniya told The Washington Post in an interview posted on its Web site on Sunday.

Haniya also said Hamas, whose charter calls for Israel's destruction, was ready to consider talks with Israel if the Jewish state withdrew from the West Bank and East Jerusalem and recognised the "right of return" for Palestinian refugees who fled in the 1948 war and their descendants.

"If Israel withdraws to the 1967 borders, then we will establish a peace in stages," Haniya said. "We will establish a situation of stability and calm, which will bring safety for our people."

Haniya did not say what form the recognition would take. Israel, meanwhile, has already rejected the conditions Haniya imposed for such a peace, namely, ceding the entire West Bank and east Jerusalem, and allowing Palestinian refugees the right to return to Israel, where they could eventually outnumber Jews.

Asked whether Hamas would abide by interim agreements signed between Israel and the Palestinians, Haniya said: "We will review all agreements and abide by those that are in the interest of the Palestinian people."

"The ones that will guarantee the establishment of a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital with 1967 borders."

"We do not have any feelings of animosity toward Jews. We do not wish to throw them into the sea. All we seek is to be given our land back, not to harm anybody," he added.

"We are not interested in a vicious cycle of violence," he added. "If peace brings us our rights, then this is good."

Israel, which has said it wouldn't deal with a government in which Hamas takes part, wouldn't comment on Haniya's remarks .

David Makovsky, director of the Project on the Middle East Peace Process at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said, "This interview is filled with contradictions, including putting old wine in new bottles.

"He is hinting that they might be reasonable if Israel does everything and they do nothing, while in Arabic they say they will not recognise even an inch of Tel Aviv," Makovskysaid.

A representative at the US State Department did not immediately return a call seeking official US reaction to Haniya's comments.