Hamas accepts peace conference proposal

WORLD / Middle East

Hamas accepts peace conference proposal

(AP)
Updated: 2006-11-13 08:35

CAIRO, Egypt - The Hamas-led Palestinian government agreed Sunday to an
international peace conference with Israel after the Arab League -
angered by Israel's military offensive in Gaza - voted to end a financial
blockade on the Palestinians.

Foreign Minister Mahmoud Zahar of Hamas endorsed a statement by Arab
foreign ministers calling for the peace conference during a meeting in
Cairo to respond to a US veto of a UN Security Council resolution
condemning the Gaza offensive.

Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of the Hamas pauses
during a meeting with former Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia of
the Fatah, not seen, in Gaza city, Sunday, Nov. 12, 2006. Palestinian
President Mahmoud Abbas from Fatah said he expected to reach a
long-delayed deal on forming a joint government with the militant Hamas
group by the end of the month. Hamas officials also said a deal was
close. [AP]

Israel responded by saying it would not hold talks with Hamas unless it
agreed to demands, backed by the US and Europe, that the group recognize
Israel, renounce violence and abide by existing agreements between Israel
and Palestinians.

Zahar said the Palestinians had asked for the peace conference "in order
to reach just and comprehensive solutions." The acceptance marked the
first time the Hamas-led government has indicated it would consider
making amends with the Jewish state.

The West cut off hundreds of millions of dollars in international aid and
tax revenues to the Palestinians after Hamas took power in March in an
effort to pressure the Islamic militant group to moderate its anti-Israel
ideology.

Israel made clear that Hamas' shift fell short of its demands. Mark
Regev, a foreign ministry spokesman, said he was not aware of the
conference proposal. But he said Hamas could not be a party to talks with
Israel unless it met the international community's stipulations.

"A multilateral conference doesn't make Hamas legitimate," Regev said.
"What makes Hamas legitimate is accepting the international benchmarks."

Hamas' decision came as Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert arrived in
Washington Sunday ahead of a meeting with President Bush on Monday.

The Arab League statement said ministers sought a conference to resolve
the Israeli-Palestinian conflict "according to international resolutions
and the principle of 'land for peace'." Arabs want Hamas to endorse a
2002 Arab initiative that calls for peace in exchange for land seized by
Israel in the 1967 Middle East war - the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and
east Jerusalem.

Sunday was the first time Zahar had attended an Arab foreign ministers'
meeting since Hamas became the ruling party. The Arab League had
previously refused to let him join unless Hamas accepted the peace
initiative.

Arab ministers also decided Sunday to end a financial blockade on the
Palestinians to show their anger over US veto in the Security Council on
Saturday.

The U.N. draft resolution would have condemned the Israeli offensive in
Gaza that has killed more 50 people recently and also demanded that
Israeli troops pull out of the territory. US Ambassador John Bolton said
the Arab-backed resolution was "biased against Israel and politically
motivated."

It was the second US veto of a draft resolution on Israeli military
operations in Gaza this year.

"There will no longer be an international siege," said Bahrain's Foreign
Minister Sheik Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa.

The economic sanctions against Hamas have debilitated the Palestinians
and have led to clashes between the Islamic militants and the more
moderate Fatah party led by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Abbas
has been trying to form a more moderate government and renew the peace
process with Israel.

Arab banks have not transferred funds to the Hamas-run Palestinian
Authority for fear of US-led sanctions. The United States and European
Union lists Hamas as a terrorist organization and takes steps against
those who transfer funds to such groups. It was not immediately clear
whether Arab banks would immediately begin transactions in response to
Sunday's decision and if sanctions would be imposed if they did.

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