MIDDLE EAST: TWO-STATE SOLUTION NOT IMPOSSIBLE, HAMAS MINISTER HINTS
London, 7 April (AKI) - The Palestinian Authority's new foreign minister, Mahmoud al-Zahar, has suggested that Hamas may consider the two-state solution to the conflict with Israel, by asking Palestinians to vote on the issue in a referendum. In a interview with the London-based daily, The Times, published on Friday, al-Zahar said that Hamas was ready to enter talks with the international community, provided it and Israel could first offer something acceptable in return.
"First we have to listen to answers. If it is very clear, if it satisfies the Palestinian demands, we can decide. But if it is not, we have to consult, we have to ask the people. We are not the owners of Palestine," al-Zahar said.
In the interview al-Zahar repeatedly indicated that the Hamas-led government may seek to circumvent the radical Islamist group's founding charter, which calls for the destruction of Israel by putting the issue to a referendum.
The clearest hint came when he was asked how the new Palestinian Authority (PA) government would deal with the so-called Quartet group of mediators which insists that peace can only be achieved through a two separate states, one Israeli, the other Palestinian.
"We are going to discuss it in the legislative council (the Palestinian parliament) and after that we may need to ask the general attitudes of the people," he said.
The Quartet consisting of the United States, the United Nations, the European Union and Russia is tasked with achieving peace through the so-called Road Map, a negotiated peace process. Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas whose Fatah party lost the January elections to Hamas has indicated he is willing to continue the negotiations.
Al-Zahar's remarks have gone further than any previous Hamas pronouncements on the subject of peace with Israel. Still, they fell far short of international demands, led by the United States and UN secretary-general Kofi Annan, that the group renounce violence and recognise Israel.
Al-Zahar also said the arrest of the PA's new Jerusalem minister, Khaled Abu Arafeh, on Thursday, was a signal that Israel was "escalating their aggression. Arafeh was released five hours later.
The Hamas government which was sworn in last week could soon be facing a massive financial crisis if the West goes ahead with threats to cut off almost one billion dollars in aid. Some 140,000 Palestinian civil servants rely on the money for the salaries.
"First we have to listen to answers. If it is very clear, if it satisfies the Palestinian demands, we can decide. But if it is not, we have to consult, we have to ask the people. We are not the owners of Palestine," al-Zahar said.
In the interview al-Zahar repeatedly indicated that the Hamas-led government may seek to circumvent the radical Islamist group's founding charter, which calls for the destruction of Israel by putting the issue to a referendum.
The clearest hint came when he was asked how the new Palestinian Authority (PA) government would deal with the so-called Quartet group of mediators which insists that peace can only be achieved through a two separate states, one Israeli, the other Palestinian.
"We are going to discuss it in the legislative council (the Palestinian parliament) and after that we may need to ask the general attitudes of the people," he said.
The Quartet consisting of the United States, the United Nations, the European Union and Russia is tasked with achieving peace through the so-called Road Map, a negotiated peace process. Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas whose Fatah party lost the January elections to Hamas has indicated he is willing to continue the negotiations.
Al-Zahar's remarks have gone further than any previous Hamas pronouncements on the subject of peace with Israel. Still, they fell far short of international demands, led by the United States and UN secretary-general Kofi Annan, that the group renounce violence and recognise Israel.
Al-Zahar also said the arrest of the PA's new Jerusalem minister, Khaled Abu Arafeh, on Thursday, was a signal that Israel was "escalating their aggression. Arafeh was released five hours later.
The Hamas government which was sworn in last week could soon be facing a massive financial crisis if the West goes ahead with threats to cut off almost one billion dollars in aid. Some 140,000 Palestinian civil servants rely on the money for the salaries.
posted by Marko at 4/07/2006 07:26:00 AM
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