Breaking! Hamas May Accept Statehood in West Bank

As long as it is not part of some 7 year deal , then I think this is a possible breakthrough now that Arafat is gone. Could this be the start of a period of peace? The last hope was Oslo and Arafat totally trashed that. What of the Israeli needs? Will their concerns be met?


Hamas May Accept Statehood in West Bank
38 minutes ago Middle East - AP
By MOHAMMED DARAGHMEH, Associated Press Writer



RAMALLAH, West Bank - The militant group Hamas will accept a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip (news - web sites) and a long-term truce with Israel, a leader said Friday, apparently softening Hamas' hardline stance and boosting hopes for renewed peace efforts after Yasser Arafat (news - web sites)'s death.

Sheik Hassan Yousef, a senior Hamas official in the West Bank, told The Associated Press he sees a truce in which Israel and a Palestinian state "live side-by-side in peace and security for a certain period."

Yousef's statements signal an apparent reversal of policy for Hamas, which has long sought to destroy Israel and replace it with an Islamic Palestinian state. The group has killed hundreds of Israelis in attacks during the past four years.

The group's top leaders, based outside the Palestinian areas, were unavailable for comment Friday on the policy change


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[edit on 3-12-2004 by edsinger]

It would be a break-through with worldwide repercussions if the Palestinians and the Iraelis could come to some agreement and the Palestinians could have their own homeland. However, we cannot forget that there are those in the Muslim world who will never accept Israel and their influence is not likely to stop, even if Hamas changes it's tune.

I would like to see this work.

Actually this was out Hours ago , They have done this before in the Past, with attacks intensifying shortly there after. I too Hope that "7 Years" does not come out of anyones mouth, but that is for a different Forum , Ed, You know who the One is that is Pushing for this Don't Ya? Therin may lie a problem with ya

I Hope that there would be "Peace" but I seriously Doubt that it will happen, especially from Hammas. I also would not be suprised to see "High Ranking" Hammas officials be taken out, so to speak, in the coming days.

Originally posted by TrickmastertricK
Actually this was out Hours ago

, They have done this before in the Past, with attacks intensifying shortly there after. I too Hope that "7 Years" does not come out of anyones mouth, but that is for a different Forum

, Ed, You know who the One is that is Pushing for this Don't Ya? Therin may lie a problem with ya

Oh I know and that is why I said what I did. Peace will come one day but I do not think it will be man made in other words.

I do not think this will work for many reasons including those you listed. Others are the Palestinian people are not that well liked in the Arab world and if they give up the fight, it leaves a vacuum.

all looks good on one side
but how are things on the israeli side
( since they are getting uptight about removing settlers from some ocupied teratories )

[edit on 4-12-2004 by bodrul]

This could be a great development or a very bad one.

Remember all the fuss over Oslo and what Arafat did after that. What happened to Rabin also remember.

I would really like to see a treaty in that area that would hold. One is long over due. The only problem is Bin Laden and his followers would not like it.

I say this only because I do not believe the word peace is not even in their dictionary. Oh wait it is in their dictionary however they do not understand the meaning of the word. Go figure.

Hamas is sounding much like Iran (with its continued "10-minute" promises).
interesting how Hamas says something on the 3rd and then on the 5th, states these:
Hamas deputy vows continuing resistance
Hamas rejects ceasefire with Israel
Hamas chief dismisses reports on imminent truce with Israel

Hamas won't accept jack! Hamas came into existence for ONE thing and ONE thing only: the full and total destruction of the nation of Israel. Till then Hamas is talking exactly "jack". They are a terrorist organization through and through and as such, should be eliminated to the last self-proclaiming Hamas member. What they say has and will never hold any type real credibility.



seekerof

Anybody have a link to the Hillary Clinton video in which she chants "Hamas" with her fist raised in the air?



Hillary and Hamas
The first lady has a long record of association with Islamic militants.

BY STEVEN EMERSON
Friday, November 3, 2000 12:01 a.m. EST

In the spring of 1996, I had lunch with a senior adviser to the Clinton Administration and to Hillary. I asked him if there was any concern over the article I had published in The Wall Street Journal that revealed that both the president and first lady had hosted militant Islamic groups, which had, at the White House, proclaimed their support for terrorism.

"This administration believes in a big tent." the adviser responded. "Besides, we've gotten no flak, so why should we back off?"

Last week the first lady finally got some flak. As a result, Mrs. Clinton announced at an Oct. 25 news conference that she was returning $50,000 in campaign contributions raised by the American Muslim Alliance, an anti-Israeli group whose leaders have sanctioned terrorism, published anti-Semitic statements and repeatedly hosted conferences that were forums for denunciations of Jews and exhortations to wage jihad. Mrs. Clinton claimed she was unaware that the group was behind the fund-raiser, held in Boston in June. The first lady also revealed she was returning a $1,000 contribution from Abdulrahman Alamoudi, an official of the American Muslim Council, who has openly championed Hamas and defended other terrorists, including those behind the World Trade Center bombing.


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TERRORIST TIES OK AT WHITE HOUSE

By Steven Emerson
SPECIAL TO THE TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Imagine the president of the United States inviting to the White House the comrades of one of the top international terrorists in the world, a terrorist chieftain who has orchestrated mass murder against scores of innocent civilians, including American children. Or visualize a picture of first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton warmly greeting a top leader of an American branch of a radical Islamic terrorist front group. Or think of the vice president of the United States happily embracing a top Islamic militant leader who has championed the terrorist mastermind behind the World Trade Center bombing, a plot that was designed to kill 50,000 American people.

Unfortunately, you do not need a wild imagination to conjure up these images. These meetings actually occurred within the past year, as evidenced by the photos that accompany this article. These pictures were reprinted from the pages of radical Islamic periodicals.

Although the administration of President Bill Clinton has publicly touted its war on international terrorism, which has included new counter-terrorism laws and resources for the FBI, it has simultaneously courted and embraced militant Islamic groups in the United States. These groups have openly promoted, supported and championed Islamic terrorist groups that have targeted Jews, Christians and moderate Muslims around the globe. Indeed, during the past year, the Clinton administration has openly welcomed into the White House known U.S.-based representatives of foreign Islamic militants - even arranging special receptions for these guests.


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