Posted on 12/14/2004 12:20:06 PM PST by anotherview
Dec. 14, 2004 15:47 | Updated Dec. 14, 2004 18:49
Mashal: US, EU in touch with Hamas
By JPOST.COM STAFF
Hamas representatives are in touch with leaders from the United States and the European Union, even though Hamas appears on the countries' lists of terror organization, according to Hamas political leader Khaled Mashal.
"The European Union is still continuing communications and meetings [with Hamas] The American administration, which also put us on terror lists and criticizes us, contacted us in the past months," Mashal told BBC Monday night.
The EU put Hamas on the list of terror organizations last year after the group rejected repeated calls to put an end to suicide bomb attacks and declare a ceasefire to all peace talks.
Mashal told BBC that his group does not intend to agree to a ceasefire agreement with Israel, unless such a deal is negotiated with all Palestinian factions or voted upon by the Palestinian people.
Mashal said that even if a new Palestinian Authority chairman - to be elected in January - will call for a ceasefire, Hamas will object to it.
"Negotiating without resistance leads to surrender, but negotiating with resistance leads to real peace," Meshaal was quoted by Reuters as saying.
"In touch with Hamas" had better mean collecting targeting data. Otherwise, it's a waste of time.
Consider the source. They have every reason to try to undermine US credibility.
WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States denied it had held contacts with Hamas as a leader of the radical Palestinian group has claimed.
They're trying to generate mistrust between the US, Israel, and the EU.
It'll be embarassing to invite these guys to the White House, though I suppose it's no worse than dinner with Yasser
This story didn't say who the leaders are.
Hamas should forget talking to Kerry and EdWeirds for at least 4 years.
Javier Solana (EU) said he'd been in contact with Hamas, then denied it, despite having been heard and seen on television.
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.