A top Hamas political official has told The Associated Press that the Palestinian group would be open to a five-year truce with Israel and would disarm and become solely a political party if a Palestinian state was established along the pre-1967 borders.
Speaking in Istanbul, Khalil al-Hayya said Hamas would accept “a fully sovereign Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip and the return of Palestinian refugees in accordance with the international resolutions.” He said that Hamas wants to unite with Fatah, which heads the Palestinian Authority and Palestinian Liberation Organization, to form a unified government for Gaza and the West Bank.
Hamas first sent the signal last week that it might be willing to dissolve its military wing, known as al-Qassam Brigades, in exchange for a two-state solution. After a meeting with Hamas’s political chief Ismail Haniyeh, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the Palestinian group was willing to accept those conditions.
Israel is not expected to pursue any deal that would give the Palestinians a state, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made his opposition to the idea very clear. He has said he wouldn’t allow a Palestinian state in any post-war scenario and has credited himself as the person who prevented a two-state solution in the past.
Another major impediment to a two-state solution along the 1967 borders is the over 500,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank. Settlers continue to terrorize Palestinians and drive them out of their homes, and the Netanyahu government has explicitly stated it supports settlement expansion with the ultimate goal of annexing the West Bank.
Netanyahu has maintained that his goal in Gaza is to “eradicate” Hamas even though both US and Israeli intelligence have said the group isn’t going anywhere. Al-Hayya said that Israeli forces “have not destroyed more than 20% of (Hamas’) capabilities, neither human nor in the field. If they can’t finish (Hamas) off, what is the solution? The solution is to go to consensus.”
In comments to AP, an adviser to Netanyahu dismissed al-Hayya and said Israel’s goals haven’t changed. “Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government set a mission to destroy Hamas’ military and governing capabilities in Gaza, free the hostages and ensure that Gaza does not pose a threat to Israel and the rest of the civilized world in the future,” the adviser said. “Those goals will be achieved.”
Does the latest, “Iran nearly has nukes” story have merit?
Does anybody believe the little boy who has been crying wolf for as long as anybody can remember?
Iran is what they call a “nuclear threshold state”. That means Iran has the technological ability and the enriched uranium to further enrich the available uranium to weapons grade over an unknown period of time and then spend another unknown period of time designing and testing a nuclear warhead and delivery system.
However, the fatwa against that remains in place. While fatwas can be reversed, there is no evidence the current Ayatollah wants to. Some Iranian government official suggested recently that Iran should reconsider that. He was then shouted down by other Iranian officials.
The reporting in the West is just more propaganda to justify the upcoming war.
Ty
The crime minister has achieved nothing in Gaza and he knows invasion of Rafah is not going to destroy Hamas at all…! Will he call this Hamas bluff on the face value knowing Israeli public and those related to the hostages protest his current slaughter policies without any sign of hostage release…?!
You Fckd up, Hamy.
Smart move by Hamas. Undercuts any possible claim that Israel is just doing what it does because of Hamas armed resistance and not because Israel is just a plain old expansionist settler state.
The only way around this for Israel and its patrons is to ignore it, which is exactly what they’ll do, and continue to vote against the June 1967 borders at the UN every year against the whole world.
Netanyahu is a Terrorist and he does not tell people who want “Freedom”, that they can’t have it. Netanyahu needs to be arrested ASAP, saving the world from more tyranny and stopping the War Criminal from doing more damage. Palestine is a State, time for the World to recognize that and stop supporting the Genocidal Maniacs in Biden’s Regime and the Zionist Regime in Israel.
“if a Palestinian state was established along the pre-1967 borders.” That is not going to happen. Israel is not going to go back to those borders. There are two many defensive problems with those borders and after the attack of Oct 7, Israel simply is not going to retreat. If Palestine is to have a real nation, it will have to be based on borders that make sense for both sides.
Pre-1967 would be an incredibly good deal for Israel, since the eventual alternative otherwise is pre-1948.
Sorry Tom, but 1967 borders are not going to happen. And since Israel did not exist before 1948 your suggestion that Israel will be wiped out if they don’t go back to 1967 is based on what?
No regime lasts forever. Israel has been removed from the map multiple times over the last 3000 years. And in the 50 years since their last major war, they’ve been repeatedly militarily embarrassed as the correlation of forces has gone in the wrong direction for them.
They could probably buy decades, or even more, by withdrawing to within their borders (1948) or negotiating acceptable borders (1967) with their neighbors. But if they don’t, they will eventually be replaced by a majority Arab state with AT BEST no special privileges for the Jewish population, and possibly the oppression or elimination of that Jewish population — probably in this century.
No regime lasts forever. Israel has been removed from the map multiple times over the last 3000 years. And in the 50 years since their last major war, they’ve been repeatedly militarily embarrassed as the correlation of forces has gone in the wrong direction for them.
They could probably buy decades, or even more, by withdrawing to within their borders (1948) or negotiating acceptable borders (1967) with their neighbors. But if they don’t, they will eventually be replaced by a majority Arab state with AT BEST no special privileges for the Jewish population, and possibly the oppression or elimination of that Jewish population — probably in this century.
Some in the movement believe the 3rd time is the charm.
“No regime lasts forever.” That is true. Have you ever considered that the Palestinians regime may go first?
The Palestinian regime has the advantage that its territorial claims are still nascent, making it less vulnerable for the moment. It won’t be as vulnerable as the Israeli regime until it actually has control of its territory and has to protect that territory.
In other words-they want everything for nothing.
The Palestinians have grown up with getting free rides. They are used to it. Gaza can not feed itself and has zero industry. So instead of spending what little money they had on building up their economy, they wasted it on building weapons and forts. Than they start a war and cry “genocide” to get international protection.
Tom, I have to disagree. Having a claim on a territory is inferior to occupying the territory. The Palestinians may claim the territory that Jordan lost to Israel in the 1967 war, but Israel controls that territory.
You’re absolutely correct that having a claim on a territory is inferior to occupying the territory — in almost every respect.
But with respect to survival of a regime, having an as yet unrealized claim that moves continually forward confers one small advantage over having a claim that must be constantly physically defended lest its efficacy be reduced.
That’s why a fully de jure recognized Palestinian state would be good for the Israeli regime. That state would then have things to lose and formal mechanisms through which it could lose those things.
A “five year truce”,means Hamas starts again when it wants from a much greater military position.
And that’s why “NEVER AGAIN” means just that. What ever it takes to preserve the nation will be used and be just.
The alternative is for the Palestinians just to get used to what they have now. Hamas has the capacity to cause pain to Israel indefinitely,at great cost to its own people. No Israeli government will give up Jerusalem,which was Jordanian before 1967,during which Jews were denied right of worship. No Israel government or state can accept millions of new hostile people within its borders. wWhat happens after the so called 5 year truce.What is Hamas going to give up-nothing.
Well, that was a waste of time even reading the first sentence.
As I always say, “That ain’t gonna happen.”
Netanyahoo cannot be trusted to make a Peace Agreement that could be trusted. Their supporters, the United States cannot be trusted either so no Peace is possible. So the Settlers have to leave.
Who is going to evict them-the greater chance is that the settlers will evict the Palestinians-which will provoke more warfare.
Your logic is amazing. You claim there can be no peace and thus the Settlers have to leave. Can you explain that logic?
There isn`t going to be a two state solution if there were it could have been done decades ago , the plan is and all way`s has been for a greater Israel to dominate the ME on behalf of the USA .
Numerous US presidents worked for a just peace.Hamas refused to negotiate at Oslo and then afterwards.
There will not be a two state solution based on the current demands of the Palestinians.
Hamas is laying down a record; because it may not be long before the Israelis wish they had accepted.
Without release of all hostages, Gaza will soon be pounded all over again.
” laying down a record” What the heck do you mean?
Dave DeCsmp is the worst thing Antiwar ever had.
Not sure why he is allowed to write based on his opinion.
Objective / neutral/ balance journalism is just a normal and easy thing to achieve.
What’s wrong with that?
Seriously.
Maybe antiwar should post some people with a pro-Israel perspective in highlights.
Now they are. How convenient.
Their 7 October little genocidal adventure backfired and now they are open to a two state solution?
What happened to the Palestine/Hamas 3 NO policy?
1) NO peace with Israel
2) NO negotiations with Israel
3) NO recognition of Israel
It’s amazing what bombing makes terrorist do, in the name of peace, of course
I think it’s too late for that. YOU fckd up.
Even Russia is now open to negotiations with Ukraine after realizing The Ukraine Armed Forces are near peer level.
It is still there. Hamas is just trying to figure how to get out of the mess they made in Gaza. The people of Gaza may just turn on Hamas when it dawns on them that all the death and destruction is the result of Hamas attack.
Thank you for reporting on this, not seen in msm media, probably what most Isrraelis want, as expressed in protests before Oct 7, and most of the world would support, even most Arab countries support Israel’s existence and ability to defend itself, and even have fair trade and Abraham Accords
This will flat out be rejected. This proposal is insincere anyways.