Khaled Mashaal
Photo: AP
Mashaal: Hamas willing to accept peace deal with Israel
Hamas Politburo Chief tells Newsweek his organization will abide peace agreement with Israel if it has Palestinian consensus; urges US to hear Hamas directly
Hamas Politburo Chief Khaled Mashaal says his group is willing to accept any peace agreement achieved between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, as long as it enjoys a Palestinian consensus, Ynet learned Wednesday.
In an interview with Newsweek Magazine, Mashaal predicted that the inception of a Palestinian state was not something that could happen in the foreseeable future, and urged Washington to "hear from us directly.” Hamas, he said, already talks to Washington via unofficial channels, including former president Jimmy Carter.Peace Partner?
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Neither Israel nor the PA want to see Hamas become an active participant in the peace talks, but according to Mashaal trying to circumvent Hamas completely always proves to be a mistake, since "Hamas is a key player."
When asked by the magazine what role he would like to play in the future Palestinian state, Mashaal said he was not sure whether such a state would be formed during his lifetime.
Meshaal, according to Newsweek, is taking a more moderate tone: "There is a position and program that all Palestinians share. To accept a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with Jerusalem as the capital. With the right of return. And this state would have real sovereignty, on the land and on the borders. And with no settlements.”
Such an agreement would fall short of the drastic goals set by Hamas’ charter, but Meshaal said his group would accept such an agreement if a majority of Palestinians approved it: “When this program is implemented…we would respect the will of the Palestinian people.”
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