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Hamas was poised to sign ceasefire until Aqaba summit
Ramallah, June 07: The radical Islamic movement Hamas, which recently cut ties with Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmud Abbas, was poised to announce a comprehensive ceasefire agreement, but decided to shun the deal in the wake of the Jordan peace summit, a senior Fatah official told.
Ramallah, June 07: The radical Islamic movement Hamas, which recently cut ties with Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmud Abbas, was poised to announce a comprehensive ceasefire agreement, but decided to shun the deal in the wake of the Jordan peace summit, a senior Fatah official told.
"Hamas was ready to give Abu Mazen (Abbas' more popular
political name) an agreement on a total ceasefire but was
waiting until after the Aqaba summit before giving him a final
answer," a senior West Bank official from Palestinian leader
Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement told on condition of
anonymity.
"They were proposing a complete ceasefire inside and outside Israel in return for the freeing of prisoners, the end of the assassinations and a withdrawal to the September 2000 lines," he said in reference to an Israeli pullback to its positions before the outbreak of the 32-month Intifada.
"Hamas said they would agree to this but they wanted to see what would happen at the summit," he said.
Hamas broke off dialogue with Abbas yesterday because of statements he made Wednesday at the Aqaba, Jordan summit, which brought him together with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and US President George W. Bush.
At the summit, Abbas called for an end to the armed Intifada, drawing harsh rebukes from radical groups.
"Now it will all have to be renegotiated again," the official said, referring to the ceasefire.
Hamas reiterated today that it would not meet with, nor open negotiations with Abbas until he completely reneged on the pledges made in Aqaba.
"They were proposing a complete ceasefire inside and outside Israel in return for the freeing of prisoners, the end of the assassinations and a withdrawal to the September 2000 lines," he said in reference to an Israeli pullback to its positions before the outbreak of the 32-month Intifada.
"Hamas said they would agree to this but they wanted to see what would happen at the summit," he said.
Hamas broke off dialogue with Abbas yesterday because of statements he made Wednesday at the Aqaba, Jordan summit, which brought him together with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and US President George W. Bush.
At the summit, Abbas called for an end to the armed Intifada, drawing harsh rebukes from radical groups.
"Now it will all have to be renegotiated again," the official said, referring to the ceasefire.
Hamas reiterated today that it would not meet with, nor open negotiations with Abbas until he completely reneged on the pledges made in Aqaba.
Bureau Report