Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Hamas: We accept Israel living in peace and security
Haaretz ^ | 03/12/2004

Posted on 12/03/2004 9:19:11 AM PST by IAF ThunderPilot

In an apparent change in long-standing policy, a top Hamas leader said Friday the militant Islamic group would accept the establishment of a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip as well as a long-term truce with Israel.

Hamas has long sought to destroy Israel and replace it with an Islamic Palestinian state, rejecting peace accords and carrying out suicide bombings and other attacks that have killed hundreds of people and badly damaged peace efforts.

"Hamas has announced that it accepts a Palestinian independent state within the 1967 borders with a long-term truce," Sheikh Hassan Yousef, the top Hamas leader in the West Bank, told The Associated Press, referring to lands Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast war.

Yousef said the Hamas position was new and called it a "stage." In the past, Hamas has said it would accept a state in the 1967 borders as a first step to taking over Israel. Yousef did not spell out the conditions for the renewable cease-fire nor did he say how long it would last.

"For us a truce means that two warring parties live side by side in peace and security for a certain period and this period is eligible for renewal," Yousef said. "That means Hamas accepts that the other party will live in security and peace."

Yousef's comments indicated that four years of fighting with Israel - during which the Israel Defense Forces has targeted the group's top leaders - along with international sanctions, have taken a toll.

Yasser Arafat's death last month and a drive by new PLO leader Mahmoud Abbas to renew talks with Israel after the January election for new Palestinian leader also appears to have changed Hamas' policy.

Cabinet minister Saeb Erekat said Abbas noticed in meetings Hamas leaders on Thursday that there were "some real developments in their policies," but refused to elaborate.

Yousef said that Hamas, which said Wednesday it would boycott the January vote, was planning to participate in Palestinian politics. It had previously shunned any role in the Palestinian Authority because it rejected interim peace accords with Israel that created the governing body.

"Hamas wants to join the Palestinian political leadership and there are meetings over this issue," he said. "Hamas being a part of the political equation means Hamas will deal with the other party (Israel)."

A-Zahar says Hamas may suspend attacks Just the day before, another senior Hamas member said after talks with Abbas in Gaza that the group could soon suspend attacks against Israel.

Mahmoud a-Zahar said Hamas will enter negotiations with Fatah over halting attacks against Israel, probably next week.

"If the Israelis stop their aggression against our people, I think through the negotiations... we can reach a final agreement," a-Zahar said.

In a speech to journalists Thursday, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said Israel would halt offensive military operations in Palestinian areas if calm prevails.

Sharon said that Israel would not be part of a Palestinian cease-fire, but that it has a vested interest in calm. Israel reserves the right to hit any Qassam rocket squads or suicide bombers it spots, he said.

He added that Israel will want to coordinate security arrangements for the planned evacuation of the Gaza Strip and northern West Bank and for the transfer of evacuated territories with the Palestinians. Any gunfire during the evacuation would prompt Israel "to respond in an extremely harsh manner," he said.

Since Arafat's death on November 11, Abbas has held talks with different factions, led by Hamas, in a bid to secure a cease-fire.

Abbas initially received from the factions an agreement to avoid an escalation of violence with Israel in the run-up to the elections. The other aim of the talks, however, was to reach a general cease-fire, which has not yet been achieved.

Sharon said if the Palestinians tackle terror and both sides fulfill their obligations, negotiations could be resumed according to the road map.

Sharon also said that incitement in the Palestinian media has dropped noticeably since his public call for Palestinian leaders to stop the incitement as a precondition for negotiations. He said the Palestinians had asked not to hold diplomatic negotiations until after the PA election on January 9, but that meanwhile, contact is "nearly daily, mainly to do with coordinating various things."


TOPICS: Breaking News; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Free Republic; Front Page News; Israel; News/Current Events; Philosophy; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: arafat; hamas; homminahomminahamas; iran; israel; napalminthemorning; peaceandsecurity; religionofpeace; taqija; wot
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 201-220 next last

"End the unjust and colonialist Jewish occupation of Muslim land!" -Arab and Muslim Land is in Green. -Israel is in Red. Who is a threat to whom? ______________________________________________________________________________________

This only proves the great success of the IDF and of the IDF elimination policy, otherwise the Hamas wouldnt come and ask to make peace. Until now, the operations of the IDF almost completely destroyed the abilities of the Hamas.

In my estimation, the Hamas only tries to put to sleep Israel, so it will be able to get strong again and be able to act against Israel as before the success of the IDF.

And notice that the Hamas does no longer has the ability to preform deadly terror attacks in Israeli territories, thanks to IDF and the Security Fence, and therefore it suddenly agrees to acknowledge the existment of the Jewish state.

This only caused by a position of weakness, and Israel must not be given in to the temptation of those devils, because the moment those devils get strong again, they will attack. ______________________________________________________________________________________

The previous dead leader of the Hamas- Runtisi, starring at:



1 posted on 12/03/2004 9:19:11 AM PST by IAF ThunderPilot
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Convert from ECUSA; Laffalot; SJackson; Alouette; SirLurkedalot

Ping!!!


2 posted on 12/03/2004 9:20:08 AM PST by IAF ThunderPilot (Israel Defence Forces)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: IAF ThunderPilot

At least they're saying it. Maybe someday they'll mean it.


3 posted on 12/03/2004 9:21:12 AM PST by Spok
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: USF

ping


4 posted on 12/03/2004 9:21:42 AM PST by jan in Colorado
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: IAF ThunderPilot
....the militant Islamic group would accept the establishment of a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip as well as a long-term truce with Israel.

Sure, like maybe 2 seconds.
5 posted on 12/03/2004 9:22:39 AM PST by bearsgirl90
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: IAF ThunderPilot
"If the Israelis stop their aggression against our people, I think through the negotiations... we can reach a final agreement," a-Zahar said."

They're already thinking Final Solution again, eh?

Oh, and BTW, shouldn't France be colored green in your little map of Europe and the Middle East?

6 posted on 12/03/2004 9:23:16 AM PST by Radix (This Tag Line is completely self referential.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: IAF ThunderPilot

It's a start. They could have has this 50 years ago.


7 posted on 12/03/2004 9:24:37 AM PST by RightWhale (Destroy the dark; restore the light)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: IAF ThunderPilot

I think I preferred it when Israel was picking off each new Hamas leader each month... who's next?


8 posted on 12/03/2004 9:24:51 AM PST by Mr. K ((this space for rent))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: IAF ThunderPilot

Yeah, sure thing, murderous muslim morons.


9 posted on 12/03/2004 9:24:55 AM PST by 7.62 x 51mm (• veni • vidi • vino • visa • "I came, I saw, I drank wine, I shopped")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Radix

I didnt made this map, I only posted it here :)


10 posted on 12/03/2004 9:27:07 AM PST by IAF ThunderPilot (Israel Defence Forces)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: IAF ThunderPilot
This should be Israel's cue to turn up the heat on Hamas. Israel does NOT have to bargain, and the verbage from Hamas indicates that they NEED a "breather". This should be taken by Israel as a sign to go ahead and crush Hamas.

Too bad "Jimah Catah" can't "convert" Hamas into a political organization from a terrorist organization like he did with ole worm food, Arafat.

The arrogance of Arab terrorists is truly astounding. Go IDF/IAF!
11 posted on 12/03/2004 9:28:04 AM PST by hiredhand ( "Pudge the Indestructible Kitty" lives at - http://www.justonemorefarm.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 7.62 x 51mm

There has been notably less violence aimed at Isreal since Saddam went down. Most assuredly because the finances dried up. Maybe a much stronger link between Saddam than has been publicly recognized. Hopefully, this is a sign the islamists are runnning out of $$.


12 posted on 12/03/2004 9:28:20 AM PST by IamConservative (People with courage and character always seem sinister to the rest.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: IAF ThunderPilot

Hmmmm. I couldn't see the Palestinian land. I assume it's in there somewhere?


13 posted on 12/03/2004 9:28:27 AM PST by robertpaulsen
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: IAF ThunderPilot
taqiyah
14 posted on 12/03/2004 9:29:16 AM PST by Another-MA-Conservative
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: robertpaulsen
Hmmmm. I couldn't see the Palestinian land. I assume it's in there somewhere?

Just to the east of Israel on the map, labelled "Jordan".

15 posted on 12/03/2004 9:30:57 AM PST by malakhi
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: bearsgirl90

This story has been popping up all week in various news venues. It's making me very nervous. These folks can't be trusted and lie straight-faced. Something must be up.....


16 posted on 12/03/2004 9:31:25 AM PST by anniegetyourgun
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: All

By the way their crap about stopping the attacks- WE already stopped it and their ability to make attacks has reduced in 95% already.

This is an Arab style talking. Same as Egypt and Syria are still convinced that they have won the 1973 Yom Kippur war, the same the Hamas is still convinced that it still carries attacks, altlough months already passed since their last attack.


17 posted on 12/03/2004 9:32:08 AM PST by IAF ThunderPilot (Israel Defence Forces)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

Comment #18 Removed by Moderator

To: IAF ThunderPilot

"Yousef said the Hamas position was new..."

In what way is this new? Muslims have been signing truces with their enemies, to build Muslim strength to defeat them later, since the seventh century.


19 posted on 12/03/2004 9:33:13 AM PST by sitetest (If Roe is not overturned, no unborn child will ever be protected in law.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: IAF ThunderPilot

France is the wrong color.


20 posted on 12/03/2004 9:34:20 AM PST by Shellback Chuck (Hey John, whose your daddy?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 201-220 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson