Elections in Palestine

I think it is interesting to read how the position of Hamas is changing already. Maybe they will play a tough game that will lead somewhere in the peace process..I hope somewhere positive. Finger crossed.

“Hamas: we wouldn’t exclude a conditional acknowledgment of Israel”

Al Quds Al Arabi, an independent Palestinian owned daily, reported on February 8 that: “Mr. Khaled Meshaal, head of the political bureau of the Hamas movement, declared yesterday from Cairo that his movement does not exclude the acknowledgment of Israel, once Israel acknowledges the rights of the Palestinian people and retreats from Palestinian territories. He said in a joint press conference with Mr. Amr Mussa, Secretary General of the Arab League, that when ‘Israel declares it acknowledges Palestinian rights and retreats from our territory, there will definitely be a Palestinian and Arab willingness to cooperate and make a positive step, but only when Israel meets those conditions’.

“He added, when asked a question about the same issue, that the ball is in the Israeli court. When Israel acknowledges the right of the Palestinian people, everything will be dealt with when the time is due. He stressed that the killer must acknowledge the victim. This position constitutes, to many observers, another step made by the Hamas leadership, towards leniency and cooperation with Egyptian demands that stressed on the necessity of Hamas’ acknowledgment of Israel and its refusal of terror, in order to form the new government. The Hamas leadership had proposed a long-term truce with Israel, whereby it ceases any military actions against it in exchange for Israel’s ending its assassination policy and releasing the detainees.

“According to diplomatic sources in Cairo, Mr. Mussa had suggested to the Hamas movement delegation [that it] declare its approval of the Arab peace initiative that was promulgated at the Beirut Summit in 2002. [That agreement] had stated that Israel should withdraw from all the occupied lands in 1967 in exchange for the normalization of relations and the complete acknowledgement of the two parties of one another. The source added that Mr. Mussa considers Hamas’ acceptance of this initiative as an exit way from all the international pressures to acknowledge Israel without getting anything in return. Nonetheless, Mussa and Meshaal have not reached an agreement, but they both said that their talks were the beginning of a fruitful dialogue that will go on.

“The lenient statements of the Hamas leader came at a time when Ehud Olmert, acting Israeli Premier, declared yesterday that Israel will still have control over the valley of the Jordan River, the big settlement complexes in the West Bank and Jerusalem - and that in light of the final drawing of the Israeli border from the West […]. On the other hand, Hamas leader Ismail Haniya said yesterday that it was very probable for a Hamas member to head the Palestinian government, and added that since Hamas has the majority of the seats in the Palestinian parliament, President Abbass will leave it to one of its members to form the government.

“Hamas has declared that Fatah still has not given its response on whether it wants to partake in the government - Palestinian sources said that there was a schism within Fatah regarding this issue. While Mr. Abbass endorses it, other wings are against it. The same sources indicated that Hamas offered Fatah eight ministerial portfolios in the new government, among which are key ministries […]. An important source in Hamas expected that the heads of the Palestinian security bodies will be removed, and people affiliated to the movement will be in charge of them.” - Al Quds Al Arabi, United Kingdom