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Carter: Hamas will accept Israel Carter: Hamas will accept Israel
(about 4 hours 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 that the US and Israel would not meet them.
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. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has challenged Hamas to prove its goodwill by renouncing violence.
And two Palestinians died in Israeli air strikes in the territory. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has refused to see Mr Carter, who was ending his regional visit in Jerusalem.
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. Meanwhile, the Israeli army has launched a formal investigation into the death of a Reuters cameraman killed in the Gaza Strip last week.
Two Palestinians died in Israeli air strikes in the territory on Monday: one person 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. In a speech in Jerusalem, Mr Carter 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... that if Israel is willing to have a mutual ceasefire... 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. He defended his talks in Damascus with 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." "The problem is that Israel and the United States refuse to meet with someone who must be involved," he told Israel's Council on Foreign Relations.
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. Hamas had reiterated its position that it could accept an Israeli state within its pre-1967 borders and live in peace with Israel, he said.
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. "Hamas indicated... 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," he said, speaking to the BBC's Newsnight programme.
"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.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.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 Call for proof
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 the release of 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 but 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. Speaking in Manama on a tour of the Middle East, Ms Rice said Hamas should show their willingness to make peace by releasing Corp Shalit and halting rocket attacks on Israel.
Mr Carter also said Hamas had agreed to let Cpl Shalit send a letter to his parents. She also called on the group to recognise the legitimacy of the Palestinian Authority, whom they ousted from Gaza last summer.
Investigation Shell 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. Israel has said it will 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 Israeli army denies deliberately targeting civilians.
Israeli Human rights group B'tselem has reported that Mr Shana was killed by a "flechette" shell. Israeli Human rights group B'tselem has reported that Mr Shana was killed by a flechette shell, which rains down thousands of small metal darts.
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 for use of the shell to cease immediately and for a criminal investigation of the event.
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.