Al-Monitor, : hamas riconosce Israele entro i confini del 1967
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Ghazi Hamad, a Hamas leader and a candidate, waves after
signing up for a Palestinian legislative election at Rafah refugee camp,
southern Gaza Strip December 3, 2005. (photo by REUTERS/Mohamed Salem)
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Dr. Ghazi Hamad, deputy foreign minister in the Hamas government, is
thought to be one of the people spearheading the movement’s pragmatic
wing. Two years ago, the secret channel of communication he maintained
with Dr. Gershon Baskin led to a breakthrough in the protracted
negotiations over the release of abducted Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit,
in exchange for the release of over 1,000 Palestinians held in Israeli
prisons. There can be no doubt that the results of these negotiations
earned Hamad a position of honor within the Hamas movement and, more
broadly, among the Palestinian public.
About This Article
Summary :
In an exclusive
interview with Al-Monitor, the deputy foreign minister of the Hamas
government, Dr. Ghazi Hamad, explains the far-reaching change in
attitudes under way in his movement and the unchanged approach of not
recognizing Israel.
Original Title:Ghazi Hamad: Hamas Agrees to Accept a State within the 1967 Borders Author: Shlomi Eldar Translated by: Danny Wool |
Palestinian Authority
Israel
Hamad is considered to be very close to Hamas Prime Minister Ismail
Haniyeh, whom he once served as spokesman, and to the chief of Hamas'
political bureau, Khaled Meshaal, the movement’s newly reelected leader.
In an exclusive interview with Al-Monitor, Hamad analyzes the
next steps that his movement will take, now that Khaled Meshaal has been
reelected to head its reconstituted political bureau, and following the
change within the movement's bureau .
Al Monitor: Does Meshaal’s election signify a change in Hamas' attitudes?
Hamad: First of all, we must remember that these were
democratic elections, and as such, they are a credit to the movement.
Elections for Hamas' other institutions ended a year ago, and that was
the last time that the Hamas movement expressed confidence in its
leaders and their proposal to institute changes to Hamas' policy. This
included reconciliation with Fatah, among other things.
Al Monitor: When you talk about new policy,
do you mean an end to the armed struggle and a transition to what
Meshaal calls a "popular uprising"?
Hamad: As leader of the movement, Khaled Meshaal
agreed to shift to a popular uprising. All of that began during the
reconciliation talks. It emerged from a comprehensive vision of the
movement’s future and the type of leadership that the Palestinian people
need. And yet, though Meshaal is prepared to make a tactical shift to a
popular uprising, armed struggle remains a legitimate right as long as
the Occupation continues. At the same time, there is an extensive
political and diplomatic program which we must advocate and work toward,
and that includes joining the official institutions of the PLO. Those
are our objectives, and that is our new approach.
Al Monitor: Does that include agreement to go back to the 1967 borders?
Hamad: Hamas has stated that it is prepared to accept a state within the 1967 borders.
Al Monitor: A two-state solution?
Hamad: We do not say "two states." We agree to the
establishment of a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital,
within the 1967 borders, and that this would include a solution to the
refugee problem. What I can tell you is that all factions in the
movement agree to this and are prepared to accept it.
Al Monitor: And there’s no argument about that?
Hamad: I can’t tell you that there are no arguments about it. Some people in Hamas contend that Israel is not prepared to accept this principle [of
the 1967 borders], as evidenced by its continued construction program
in the settlements. However, in more general terms, I will say that
Hamas agrees to a state within the 1967 borders.
Al Monitor: Does that mean recognizing Israel ?
Hamad: There is still no change about that. Hamas does not recognize Israel.
Al Monitor: Dr. Hamad, let’s talk about the
next steps. You plan to integrate Hamas into the PLO and to hold
elections in the Palestinian Authority. What then?
Hamad: We would like to join the PLO, but first of
all, we propose a structural change to the movement and the way its
representatives are elected. There are plenty of problems that must be
resolved first. We want to reform the way elections are held, to
reformulate the Charter, etc. What I can tell you is that there are
people who are working on that, and that once these problems are
resolved, we will hold elections, both for Parliament and the
presidency. But all of these steps will be taken in accordance with the
understandings reached during our reconciliation with Fatah.
Al Monitor: As Hamas' deputy foreign
minister, you are responsible for convincing the American government to
remove Hamas from its list of terrorist organizations.
Hamad: That is a very important issue, and we are
hard at work on it. It began once we felt a change after the war on Gaza
[Israel's Operation Pillar of Defense]. There has been a change, such
as the Muslim Brotherhood’s election in Egypt. It is part of the overall
mood internationally. We are trying to convince anyone we can that the
Hamas movement is not a terrorist organization. We are engaging with
certain sectors in Europe, who are prepared to help us with that, and
the reason that they are willing to help is because they are already
convinced that it will improve the overall mood in the region. The
current reality necessitates it.
Al Monitor: On a practical level, are you holding direct talks with the Americans about that?
Hamad: We have no problem conducting talks with the
Americans, provided that they are interested. We are prepared to act
through all of our institutions to prove that Hamas is not a terrorist
organization. Hamas' position is clear. We accept the 1967 borders, and
we are active in Europe, where there is a willingness and readiness to
help.
Al Monitor: Which European countries? Can you tell us?
Hamad: No, but I have spoken with a lot of people who
are convinced that Hamas is not a terrorist organization. Hamas put a
stop to its resistance [terrorist attacks]. It respects the cease-fire.
There has been a major change in policy.
Al Monitor: Which leads us to the last time
missiles were fired from Gaza. Why don’t you stop the Salafist groups,
who are firing Qassam rockets and mortars into Israel?
Hamad: I can say that things are under control. There
is a cessation of hostilities. All of the factions are prepared to
observe it on the basis of the agreements reached in Cairo. But it is
true that there are some people who want to disrupt the calm and cause
problems. That would not be beneficial to the people.
Al Monitor: What are you doing about them?
Hamad: We do not allow anyone to violate the cease-fire. As long as there is a comprehensive agreement to maintain this cessation of hostilities, everyone must observe it, without exception.
Shlomi Eldar is a contributing writer for Al-Monitor’s Israel
Pulse. For the past two decades, he has covered the Palestinian
Authority and especially the Gaza Strip for Israel’s Channels 1 and 10,
and has reported on th
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