February 27, 2006
Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh has said in an interview with the "Washington Post" that he was ready to establish peace with Israel in stages, and that his movement was ready under certain conditions to recognize Israel. Hamas did "not wish to throw [the Jews] into the sea". However, Haniyeh, prime minister-designate of the Palestinian Authority issued a qualification yesterday of his moderate-sounding remarks, insisting he had not related to the issue of recognizing Israel. "If Israel declares that it will give the Palestinian people a state, and give them back all their rights, then we are ready to recognize them," the "Post" had quoted Haniyeh as saying. However, the Hamas leader told reporters in Gaza that he "did not tackle the issue of recognizing in my interview with the 'Washington Post'." He added that there was a possibility only of achieving a long-term truce with Israel. Asked whether he would abide by past agreements signed between the Palestinian Authority and Israel, he gave himself non-committal: "We will review all agreements and abide by those that are in the interest of the Palestinian people." Hamas, he added, did 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".
Referring to Haniyeh's remarks, Israeli defense minister Shaul Mofaz told US assistant secretary of state for near eastern affairs, David Welch, that Hamas was "trying to mislead the international community, to sweet-talk it and to exhibit an appearance of responsibility". Meanwhile, US Senator Hillary Clinton has called on the international community to isolate Hamas. “No nation in the world should recognize a government” committed to its neighbor’s destruction, the Democratic senator from New York said on Sunday in New York. Today, European Union foreign ministers in Brussels will discuss if to continue funding the Palestinian Authority after the Hamas victory.
