Hamas, Fatah signal interest in coalition
(AP)
Updated: 2006-01-24 09:36

The mixed messages were evident Monday. Khaled Mashaal, the group's exiled supreme leader, rejected negotiations with Israel.

"What is the point of negotiations when your enemy does not acknowledge your rights," he told the Al-Arabiya satellite channel. "We should escalate the resistance."

But in Gaza, Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahar, a parliamentary candidate, said the group might be willing to negotiate with Israel through a third party.

"Negotiation is not a taboo," he said. "If there is something from the enemy side to be offered, like stopping aggression, releasing our prisoners, we could find a way."

Zahar's statements reflected the growing likelihood that Fatah and Hamas will seek to work together after the election. In a sign of Hamas' pragmatism, the group has not carried out a suicide bombing in the year since a cease-fire was declared with Israel.

Hamas officials said they will only decide whether to join the government after the vote. But if they do, it will be as a partner in a coalition with Fatah.

"Fatah is the first choice as a coalition partner," said Hamad. He said Hamas would demand service ministries, such as health and education, though it would want some say in diplomatic affairs as well.

Fatah officials have said they expect to lead a coalition government, preferably with smaller parties, but also with Hamas if it agrees to allow peace talks.

"We will be happy to see Hamas become more realistic, more pragmatic," said Palestinian Cabinet minister Sufian Abu Zaydeh. "When you are in power, you understand the situation more — more work and less criticism."

To be sure, tensions remain. In a debate on Lebanese TV, Zahar criticized the Palestinian Authority for dealing with Israel, while Dahlan challenged Zahar to explain how Hamas would handle issues requiring Israeli intervention, such as crossings between Palestinian territories and Israel.

"It's time for you to discover the suffering of being in government," Dahlan said.

Hamas' participation has created friction with Israel, the U.S. and the European Union — which all brand Hamas a terrorist group.

In a television interview, Abbas said he expects Hamas to accept peace talks and place its arms under government control once it joins parliament.

"What we see is that Hamas may change its views," he told Al-Arabiya. "It is not enough to come to parliament and say, 'My positions are not changeable' ... This will not be acceptable."

Some Israeli security officials have privately said Israel should engage Hamas in hopes of moderating the group. However, the official line is that Israel will continue boycotting Hamas until it disarms and renounces its call for Israel's destruction.

The United States has said it won't deal with Hamas members who join the government, and U.S. and EU officials have said millions of dollars in aid could be in jeopardy.