Carter snubs US, Israel over Hamas
Former US president calls for ceasefire during meeting with Khaled Meshaal.
Al Jazeera’s Clayton Swisher reported that Carter’s talks with Meshaal were conducted in a “pleasant” atmosphere.
| Your Views |
“Al Jazeera has learned, based on exclusive sources inside the Carter-Hamas talks, that a delegation of Hamas officials from the Gaza Strip, led by the Hamas foreign minister Mahmoud Zahar, is going to arrive in Damascus on Saturday to join the talks with President Carter and Hamas leadership,” he said.
Haaretz daily newspaper quoted Eli Yishai as saying: “I am ready to meet with all necessary Hamas members.”
However, Carter’s meeting with Hamas has been criticised by the US and Israel.
Hamas is listed as a terrorist organisation by Washington, Tel Aviv and the EU, and has not been invited to participate in US-brokered peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.
| Profiles | ||
|
On the possibility of considering Hamas as peace partner, Foley said: “We want to see Hamas part of the peace process, to be a partner for peace with the Israelis that will lead to two states side by side living in peace and security.
“We need to see Hamas simply do a couple of things first and that will show that they are actually serious about peace.”
But Fawaz Gerges, chair of Middle East and International Affairs at Sarah Lawrence College in New York, said Carter had set a precedent.
“He has broken the ice. One would hope that not only Israeli leaders but world leaders and the next president of the United States would engage Hamas diplomatically,” he said.
“As Carter said today, there is no way out of engaging with Hamas – it is the elected representative government of the Palestinian people.”
Earlier on Friday, Hamas said Gilad Shalit, the Israeli soldier captured by fighters in the Gaza Strip, would “not see the light” until Palestinian prisoners were released in a prisoner exchange.
Mushir al-Masri, a Hamas official, said in a speech in Gaza: “Gilad will not see the light, will not see his mother, will not see his father, God willing, as long as our heroic prisoners do not see their families, in their houses.”
Israel has agreed to release some inmates, but has balked at some of those on Hamas’ list.
Cairo meetings
Russia talks
In Moscow, Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, met Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president and leader of Hamas’ rival Fatah faction, to discuss plans for a Middle East peace conference.
 |
|
Abbas, left, wants Russia to play a greater role |
A Kremlin official told journalists that “special attention will be paid to … possible steps by Russia, including its initiative to hold a Moscow meeting on the Middle East“.
The official said Putin and Abbas would discuss how to stabilise the situation and restore Palestinian unity.
The US welcomed the Russian engagement. Foley told Al Jazeera: “Russia is a very valued member of the Quartet. They’ve been part of these [peace] discussions. Certainly we will welcome Russian engagement.”