Posted on 09/24/2006 1:10:41 AM PDT by familyop
Hope for a Middle East peace breakthrough faded on Friday when the militant group Hamas contradicted President Mahmoud Abbas's declaration that a new Palestinian unity government would recognize Israel.
Speaking at the United Nations on Thursday, Abbas said a coalition being negotiated between his Fatah party and Hamas, the militant group that heads the Palestinian government, would recognize the Jewish state.
Such a move would be a huge reversal for Hamas, which is formally dedicated to the destruction of Israel.
On Friday, Hamas political advisor Ahmed Yousef told the Associated Press that "there won't be a national unity government if Hamas is asked to recognize Israel."
However, he added that Hamas is prepared to offer Israel a "long-term truce for five or 10 years, until the occupation withdraws."
Yousef is a close aide to Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, who is also the Palestinian prime minister.
It is not clear how the truce proposal will be greeted in Israel or by the Western governments that cut aid to the Palestinians when Hamas came to power.
Reporting from Jerusalem for the CBC, journalist Iris Mackler said the rival Palestinian parties are under great pressure to end the aid boycott, which has left Palestinians in desperate economic straits.
"What we see are two sides who don't actually want to get together but for the sake of their people should or will have to get together," Mackler said.
The obstacle, she said, has been that Hamas would not change its position on Israel's right to exist.
"It's offering something else, which is a 10-year truce, but ultimately it says it can't recognize Israel," she said.
nobody believes any of this
meaningless rubbish.
A ten-year truce to build up weaponry to fight Israel another day, I believe.
People need to know their history...and since the only history they care to know is what they had for breakfast... well...the 10 year truce looks pretty good.
Well, that little honeymoon didn't last long...
The BBC interviewed an aide to Abbas who said the deal would go something like this:
The Hamas members of a "unity government" would pledge to recognize Israel, renounce violence etc.
But this would not require Hamas as an organization to change its positions on Israel.
What a joke?
Unfortunately I get the impression this deal is something being done with the involvement of the EU and the United States who are pushing the idea to bring some sort of "stability" to Palestinian territory.
They are trying to get around the financial embargo that is hurting the Palestinian government which has no money now.
Hamas being the government caused the financial cutoff.
They (United States-EU) are also trying to move back towards a "peace process."
So much for being tough on terrorism. Condi Rice is trying to find a way out of punishing Hamas (terrorists) for being the Palestinian government by fig leafing it with Fatah (Abbas' people) and creating this "I'm in the government and recognize Israel" thing for the Hamas people in it.
And meanwhile every day the Quassams (rockets) get shot off every day at Israel from Gaza. Minor damage and injuries mostly but one day something bad is liable to happen. So much for the "peace process."
A "unity government" as envisioned here won't stop the rockets or other terrorist attacks to come.
I've heard stories of a rocket buildup in Gaza but we shall see if the Lebanon scenario gets repeated there again in the months ahead.
No Money for Palestine: Voters will replace them soon. the goverment workers have not been paid for over 7 months.
did anyone with even a scintilla of a brain cell expect anything less.....the muzzies will never recognize or make peace with Israel.... throughout all of islam (the religion of pieces) the muzzies only know death & destruction...nothing positive to contribute to civilization or mankind except suicide bombers...the crux of terrorism began with the pali/muzzies and Israel....nothing will change them...no roadmaps/re-acquiring land (gaza)...or all the money the west will give them...they are intent on the eradication of Israel just like all the other muzzies vis a vis the pathetic little dictator in iran!....the only thing that will change their minds will be carpet bombing them back past the middle ages where they are now stuck living!!!
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