Wednesday, February 22, 2006
Chances of renewing peace negotiations suffer with Hamas' rise.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) -- Ismail Haniyeh of the militant group Hamas was appointed Tuesday as the next Palestinian prime minister, but he refused to respond to a demand from the president to adhere to interim peace deals reached with Israel.
After accepting the letter designating him prime minister, Haniyeh met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas for more than two hours, their second such session in two days -- an indication of the wide gaps between the two men.
Abbas is the head of Fatah, the Islamic movement Hamas trounced in last month's Palestinian parliamentary election. Abbas was elected president last year, and now he will have to deal with a Hamas parliament and Cabinet.
The letter naming Haniyeh, in addition to the official appointment, was a one-page summary of Abbas' political positions, according to Abbas aides who spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to give details.
Previous agreements
Abbas has said the Hamas-led government must accept the agreements made by previous governments -- including interim peace accords with Israel and the internationally backed "road map" plan for a Palestinian state.
Haniyeh was noncommittal. "We will study it, and God willing, we will answer soon to Abu Mazen [Abbas], God willing," he said.
Hamas' ideology does not recognize a Jewish state in the Middle East, and the militant group has sent dozens of suicide bombers into Israel. Since the election, Hamas has rebuffed demands from Israel, the United States, the United Nations and Europe to recognize Israel and renounce violence.
Haniyeh has five weeks to form a Cabinet, and he began holding talks with several small factions after the Hamas-dominated parliament took office Saturday. A relative moderate by Hamas standards and a skilled negotiator, Haniyeh said he wants to bring Fatah into his government.
"I think the room for agreement with Fatah is large," he said, "and we hope to reach a formula through which we can form a national unity government." So far Fatah has refused.
The 46-year-old Haniyeh also said it was "premature" to discuss incorporating the Hamas military wing into Palestinian security services.
Peace chance suffers
Hamas' rise to power has badly damaged chances of renewing peace negotiations. Israel refuses to deal with the group until it renounces violence and recognizes the Jewish state.
Further diminishing peace prospects, exiled Hamas political leader Khaled Mashaal was in Iran, Israel's staunchest enemy, seeking to drum up support.
Speaking to Israel TV, acting Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Tuesday that the chances of a "quick agreement" with the Palestinians are less now that Hamas is in charge.
"But the hope has not disappeared, and I am responsible for both things, the battle against Hamas and maintaining hope, the chance to reach an agreement," he said.
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