Hamas rejects recognition of Israel despite pressure
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-03-05 11:03

Islamist militant group Hamas rejected Russian appeals for it to recognize Israel or disband its armed wing, senior leaders of the group said on Saturday.

Palestinian Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal listens to a question during a meeting with Muslim society at a Moscow mosque, March 4, 2006. [Reuters]

The Moscow visit is the first to a major foreign power by leaders of Hamas, who are forming a Palestinian government in the wake of a landslide win in Palestinian parliamentary elections on January 25.

Hamas is hoping to gain a measure of international standing from the three days of talks, opposed by Israel and the United States.

The Hamas charter calls for the destruction of the Jewish state. Both Washington and the European Union have branded Hamas a terrorist organization. But it is popular among Palestinians for charitable works and has a reputation for freedom from corruption.

Hamas deputy political leader Moussa Abu Marzouk told Reuters in an interview that recognizing Israel would negate all Palestinian rights.

"It means a negation of the Palestinian people and their rights and their property, of Jerusalem and the holy sites, as well as negation of their right of return. Therefore the recognition of Israel is not on the agenda," Abu Marzouk said.

"We believe that Israel has no right to exist," he added later in remarks to an Arab audience. "Hamas will never take such a step."

On Friday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told a Hamas delegation it must recognize Israel's right to exist and abide by interim peace deals, echoing demands made by the United States, the European Union and United Nations.

Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal said Saturday he had rejected a bid from Lavrov for Hamas to disband its armed wing and integrate the gunmen into the general Palestinian police force.

"We have made clear to the officials in Russia that the armed wing (of Hamas) will have no role in the internal situation, and will resist the occupation and defend the whole land," Meshaal said.

DRAW A MAP

Abu Marzouk, who is part of the Hamas delegation in Moscow, blasted previous Palestinian accords with Israel and said they did not define the Jewish state's borders.

"I gave the Russian officials a white sheet and I asked them to draw me a map of the Israel they want me to recognize and nobody was able to draw the map," he said.

"Therefore how would you want me to recognize something that is so dangerous to the future of the Palestinian people."

Hamas is in the middle of forming a government and expects to name a cabinet within weeks.

Israel says it will not negotiate with a government led by Hamas, which has carried out nearly 60 suicide bombings against Israelis since a Palestinian uprising erupted in 2000. Hamas has said talks with Israel would be a waste of time.

Abu Marzouk said the Moscow visit had achieved important results for Hamas, including "breaking the wall of siege" imposed by the United States and Europe since its election win.

"While this collapse in the siege was done in public, there are several countries of the European Union that are secretly holding contacts with Hamas in one way or another," he said without elaborating.

Even before its first meetings on Friday with senior Russian officials in Moscow, Hamas dimmed hopes of a breakthrough by saying it was firm in its refusal to recognize Israel.