Hamas political chief rules out truce with Israel

AP/The Jerusalem Post ^ | 29 October 2003 | ASSOCIATED PRESS

[anotherview]

Oct. 30, 2003
Hamas political chief rules out truce with Israel
By ASSOCIATED PRESS
BEIRUT, Lebanon

Hamas supporters
Photo: AP

Khaled Mashaal, Hamas political chief, ruled out a quick agreement for truce with Israel, alleging it was because Israel and the United States were not interested.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel "Sharon does not want a cease-fire and the U.S. is preoccupied with Iraq and its elections," Mashaal, speaking from Beirut, said in an interview Wednesday with the Dubai-based Al-Arabiya television.

Earlier Wednesday, Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia said truce talks with Hamas have been "constructive" and he hoped to get Palestinian militant groups to agree to stop attacks and then move onto a mutual truce with Israel.

Mashaal said Hamas had been in contact with Qureia and that Egypt had been using its good offices to hammer out an agreement between the Palestinian Authority and the militant groups, including Hamas, to present a united Palestinian front in negotiating a truce with Israel.

But he said past attempts to build a mutual truce from a unilateral cease-fire had failed.

"That is because the enemy did not respond to it and continued its aggression," Mashaal said.

Mashaal also told Al-Arabiya Hamas holds "parts of the remains" of an Israeli soldier in Gaza. But he said the remains are not part of a deal being negotiated by Lebanon's Hizbullah guerrilla group for a prisoner swap with Israel.

"Securing the release of some 400 Palestinians is one of Hamas's top priorities, but the remains of the Israeli soldier is not part of the deal," Mashaal said.

Hizbullah and Israel have been negotiating for nearly five years for a prisoners swap through a German negotiator.

[goldstategop]

Israel is not interested in another make-believe ceasefire. Israel wants the terror organizations disarmed. Of course, that's exactly what will never happen.

[jimbokun]

"Israeli Prime Minister Ariel "Sharon does not want a cease-fire and the U.S. is preoccupied with Iraq and its elections," Mashaal, speaking from Beirut, said in an interview"

So the Palestinians want a cease-fire with the U.S., too? Silly me, I thought their conflict was with Israel.