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Hamas rejects Israeli recognition | Hamas rejects Israeli recognition |
(about 4 hours later) | |
Palestinian militant group Hamas will not recognise Israel, its political leader Khaled Meshaal has insited. | Palestinian militant group Hamas will not recognise Israel, its political leader Khaled Meshaal has insited. |
He was responding to comments by former US President Jimmy Carter, following their talks in Syria at the weekend. | He was responding to comments by former US President Jimmy Carter, following their talks in Syria at the weekend. |
Mr Meshaal said Hamas agreed to a Palestinian state on the land in east Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza that Israel captured in the 1967 war. | Mr Meshaal said Hamas agreed to a Palestinian state on the land in east Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza that Israel captured in the 1967 war. |
Mr Carter had said Hamas was prepared to accept the right of Israel to "live as a neighbour next door in peace". | Mr Carter had said Hamas was prepared to accept the right of Israel to "live as a neighbour next door in peace". |
Actions speak louder than words White House spokeswoman | Actions speak louder than words White House spokeswoman |
Speaking in Syria, where he lives in exile, Khaled Meshaal said the Palestinian state must have "Jerusalem as its capital, with genuine sovereignty, without settlements". | Speaking in Syria, where he lives in exile, Khaled Meshaal said the Palestinian state must have "Jerusalem as its capital, with genuine sovereignty, without settlements". |
He added that this did not mean recognising Israel, but he said: "We have offered a truce if Israel withdraws to the 1967 borders, a truce of 10 years as an alternative to recognition." | He added that this did not mean recognising Israel, but he said: "We have offered a truce if Israel withdraws to the 1967 borders, a truce of 10 years as an alternative to recognition." |
The United States said Mr Meshaal's comments did not amount to a change of position by Hamas. | The United States said Mr Meshaal's comments did not amount to a change of position by Hamas. |
In any case, White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said, "actions speak louder than words". | In any case, White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said, "actions speak louder than words". |
Many Israelis and their allies do not believe Hamas' offer of a truce, says the BBC's Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen. | Many Israelis and their allies do not believe Hamas' offer of a truce, says the BBC's Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen. |
They cite the Hamas charter, which calls for the destruction of Israel and the creation of an Islamic state in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza. | They cite the Hamas charter, which calls for the destruction of Israel and the creation of an Islamic state in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza. |
'Involve Hamas' | 'Involve Hamas' |
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert refused to see Mr Carter, as he ended his regional visit in Jerusalem. | Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert refused to see Mr Carter, as he ended his regional visit in Jerusalem. |
Jimmy Carter describes his talks with Hamas | Jimmy Carter describes his talks with Hamas |
In a speech in the city, Mr Carter said Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking had "regressed" since the US hosted Middle East talks in November at Annapolis. | In a speech in the city, Mr Carter said Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking had "regressed" since the US hosted Middle East talks in November at Annapolis. |
He defended his talks with Mr Meshaal in Damascus. | He defended his talks with Mr Meshaal in Damascus. |
"The problem is that Israel and the United States refuse to meet with someone who must be involved," he told the Israel Council on Foreign Relations. | |
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. |
Captured soldier | Captured soldier |
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 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 but accepted only 71 names on a list of hundreds of prisoners submitted by Hamas. | 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. |
Khaled Meshaal told reporters on Monday that Hamas had agreed to pass a message from Corp Shalit to his family. | Khaled Meshaal told reporters on Monday that Hamas had agreed to pass a message from Corp Shalit to his family. |
Meanwhile, the Israeli army has launched a formal investigation into the death of a Reuters cameraman killed in the Gaza Strip last week. | Meanwhile, the Israeli army has 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 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. | And 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. |