This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/middle_east/7358188.stm
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Carter: Hamas will accept Israel | Carter: Hamas will accept Israel |
| (9 minutes later) | |
| Former US President Jimmy Carter has said that Hamas is prepared to accept the right of Israel to "live as a neighbour next door in peace". | Former US President Jimmy Carter has said that Hamas is prepared to accept the right of Israel to "live as a neighbour next door in peace". |
| After meeting Hamas leaders last week in Syria, he said it was a problem the US and Israel would not meet the group. | After meeting Hamas leaders last week in Syria, he said it was a problem the US and Israel would not meet the group. |
| His comments came as the Israeli army launched a formal investigation into the death of a Reuters cameraman killed in the Gaza Strip last week. | His comments came as the Israeli army launched a formal investigation into the death of a Reuters cameraman killed in the Gaza Strip last week. |
| And two Palestinians died in Israeli air strikes in the territory. | And two Palestinians died in Israeli air strikes in the territory. |
| Monday's strikes killed one Palestinian in the southern city of Rafah and a Hamas militant at Beit Hanoun, a border town from where rockets are often fired at Israel. | Monday's strikes killed one Palestinian in the southern city of Rafah and a Hamas militant at Beit Hanoun, a border town from where rockets are often fired at Israel. |
| 'Regressed' | 'Regressed' |
| Mr Carter, speaking in Jerusalem, said Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking had "regressed" since the US hosted Middle East talks in November at Annapolis. | Mr Carter, speaking in Jerusalem, said Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking had "regressed" since the US hosted Middle East talks in November at Annapolis. |
| Hamas indicated to us at least - I'm not guaranteeing their commitment - that if Israel is willing to have a mutual ceasefire and a renunciation of violence in Gaza and in the West Bank, they will accept it Jimmy Carter | Hamas indicated to us at least - I'm not guaranteeing their commitment - that if Israel is willing to have a mutual ceasefire and a renunciation of violence in Gaza and in the West Bank, they will accept it Jimmy Carter |
| The former US president was criticised by the US and Israel for visiting the Syrian capital Damascus last week to meet exiled Hamas political leader Khaled Meshaal. | |
| But he defended his visit on Monday, telling Israel's Council on Foreign Relations: "The problem is not that I met with Hamas in Syria. The problem is that Israel and the United States refuse to meet with someone who must be involved." | But he defended his visit on Monday, telling Israel's Council on Foreign Relations: "The problem is not that I met with Hamas in Syria. The problem is that Israel and the United States refuse to meet with someone who must be involved." |
| Mr Carter said Hamas had reiterated its position that it would accept an Israeli state within its pre-1967 borders, living in peace with Israel, if such an agreement was approved by Palestinians. | Mr Carter said Hamas had reiterated its position that it would accept an Israeli state within its pre-1967 borders, living in peace with Israel, if such an agreement was approved by Palestinians. |
| Speaking to the BBC's Newsnight programme, Mr Carter said: "Hamas indicated to us at least - I'm not guaranteeing their commitment - that if Israel is willing to have a mutual ceasefire and a renunciation of violence in Gaza and in the West Bank, they will accept it, and as a first step they would even accept just limiting that to Gaza. | |
| "So I think that what they have said, if they were honest and we wrote it out so there wouldn't be a mistake, it's a very significant development." | |
| Israel, the US and the European Union regard Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, as a terrorist organisation. | |
| Hamas is officially dedicated to the destruction of Israel and the creation of an Islamic state in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza. | |
| Shalit deadlock | Shalit deadlock |
| Mr Carter also said that the release of the Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, captured by Hamas and other militant groups during a raid into Israel two years ago, was being held up by the lack of direct communication between Israel and Hamas. | Mr Carter also said that the release of the Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, captured by Hamas and other militant groups during a raid into Israel two years ago, was being held up by the lack of direct communication between Israel and Hamas. |
| Mr Carter said the difficulty was in agreeing the identity of the Palestinian prisoners to be released in return. | Mr Carter said the difficulty was in agreeing the identity of the Palestinian prisoners to be released in return. |
| He said Egyptian officials had told him that Israel had agreed to release 1,000 prisoners, in principle. | He said Egyptian officials had told him that Israel had agreed to release 1,000 prisoners, in principle. |
| However, it had accepted only 71 names on a list of hundreds of prisoners submitted by Hamas. | However, it had accepted only 71 names on a list of hundreds of prisoners submitted by Hamas. |
| Mr Carter also said Hamas had agreed to let Cpl Shalit send a letter to his parents. | Mr Carter also said Hamas had agreed to let Cpl Shalit send a letter to his parents. |
| Investigation | Investigation |
| Meanwhile, Israel said it would investigate the death of Palestinian Reuters cameraman Fadel Shana, who died with several other civilians in Gaza last Wednesday. | |
| New York-based Human Rights Watch says it has evidence an Israeli tank team fired either recklessly or deliberately at Mr Shana. | New York-based Human Rights Watch says it has evidence an Israeli tank team fired either recklessly or deliberately at Mr Shana. |
| The final footage taken by Mr Shana - and released by Reuters - shows the tank firing in his direction. The Israeli army denies deliberately targeting civilians. | The final footage taken by Mr Shana - and released by Reuters - shows the tank firing in his direction. The Israeli army denies deliberately targeting civilians. |
| Israeli Human rights group B'tselem has reported that Mr Shana was killed by a "flechette" shell. | |
| The shell is an anti-personnel weapon that explodes in the air and releases thousands of small metal darts over a wide area. | |
| The group called on the Israeli Army's judge advocate general to order the immediate cessation of the use of the shell and open a criminal investigation of the event. The group says the weapon is prohibited. |