exiled Hamas leader Khaled Meshal sees no point in recognizing Israel’s
right to exist, nor will Hamas abandon violent resistance. At a ceremony celebrating the last 10 days of Ramadan, Meshal
announced, “Hamas will not surrender to those wanting to mount a coup
against it, will not recognize Israel and will not abandon armed
resistance."
This past week it seemed that Hamas was willing to soften its stance towards Israel in order to better cooperate with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who is working with Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, to form a coalition government. Hamas went so far as to offer a truce in exchange for a state within the 1967 borders, East Jerusalem and the return of refugees. Israel did not respond.
The two political parties along with the Qatari foreign minister were trying to come to an agreement as soon as possible in hopes that the Quartet would release the international aid boycott. All attempts so far have failed. And now, with Israel’s obvious indifference to the connection between its armed occupation and Palestinians’ armed resistance to the occupation, Hamas is losing its patience.
