In an open letter published in the British 'The Times' newspaper, a group of 14 former peace negotiators called on the international community to start engaging directly with Hamas as the only way to achieve peace in the Middle East. Ahead of Egypt-brokered reconciliation talks between the Islamist group and rival Palestinian movement Fatah on Thursday, former mediators from conflicts in Northern Ireland, Cambodia and Bosnia said the policy of isolating Hamas had failed.
"As former peace negotiators, we believe it is of vital importance to abandon the failed policy of isolation and to involve Hamas in the political process," the signatories, who include former Israeli foreign minister Shlomo Ben-Ami, former UN Middle East envoy Alvaro de Soto, former EU envoy for Bosnia Paddy Ashdown, former Hong Kong governor and EU commissioner Chris Patten, and Australian ex-foreign minister and Cambodia peace negotiator Gareth Evans, wrote. They said peace between Israel and the Palestinians was not possible without Hamas, which controls Gaza and maintains support "despite attempts to destroy it through economic blockades, political boycotts and military incursions. This approach is not working; a new strategy must be found," they said.
"Yes, Hamas must recognize Israel as part of a permanent solution, but it is a diplomatic process and not ostracization that will lead them there." The signatories stress that "engaging Hamas does not amount to condoning terrorism or attacks on civilians" and stressed the movement must halt all violence as a precondition for their inclusion in the peace process, but they said: "We have learnt first-hand that there is no substitute for direct and sustained negotiations with all parties to a conflict, and rarely if ever a durable peace without them." They expressed hope that the new US administration under President Barack Obama can lead the way to a new strategy for the Middle East "grounded in realism and not ideology".
Meanwhile, Israel urged world leaders to provide aid to the Gaza Strip without breaking a diplomatic boycott of Hamas Islamists who control the strip. "There is a need to help in Gaza without granting legitimacy to Hamas," foreign minister Tzipi Livni said in Tel Aviv after talks with visiting US Middle East envoy George Mitchell.
Next week, US secretary of state Hillary Clinton will make her first visit to Israel. The centerpiece of her tour will be her attendance at a fundraising conference for Palestinians in Egypt. She will then continue to Israel and the Palestinian areas. The United States is expected to pledge US$ 900 million to rebuild the Gaza Strip. Clinton will also reportedly be pressing Israel to ease restrictions on the transfer of humanitarian assistance into the strip.
