Posted on 10/28/2003 12:07:23 PM PST by anotherview
Oct. 28, 2003
Hamas accepts Qurei invitation to ceasefire meeting
By LAMIA LAHOUD
Palestinian official said Tuesday that Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei asked Sheikh Ahmed Yassin and other senior officials for a meeting to discuss a ceasefire and said Yassin had accepted the invitation.
A Palestinian legislator predicted that not much would come out of these talks, since Hamas was making a ceasefire once again dependent on Israeli promises to end military incursions and targeted killings of Hamas leaders and militants. Israel, he said would not agree to these terms.
He said Hamas has agreed to the talks since they do not want to be seen as the once who turned down such a request from Qurei.
Yassin said yesterday that he was ready for ceasefire talks with Qurei, but stressed that Hamas reserves its right to retaliate for Israeli military operations and targeted killings of its militants.
"Hamas can not be perceived as giving in to Israeli pressure" caused by Israel's policy of targeted killings of Hamas leaders and militants", the legislator said.
"It would be difficult for Hamas to agree to a ceasefire while the resistance to the Americans continues in Iraq", he added
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