Obama Inspires Possible Shift in Hamas

Assaf Gabor in Makor Rishon-Hatzofe:

The Arab world translates Obama's Cairo speech as a change in American policy, and so does Hamas.

Hamas Political Bureau Director Khaled Mashal: "Hamas will not be an obstacle to a peace agreement in the 1967 borders, Hamas will be a positive element helping to reach a solution that is fair to the Palestinians and will enable them to realize their rights."

In response, high-ranking Hamas figure Salah Bardawil told Makor Rishon-Hatzofe, "Mashal disclosed the first details of Hamas's new policy, as a factor that will act in the framework of a Palestinian government, after there is Palestinian unity, and in the framework of the Mecca agreement."

Bardawil explained Hamas's strategy, which is dealing with a situation of being globally ostracized: "The change is a response to Israeli pressure to make Hamas irrelevant and to disregard it as representing the Palestinian majority." He said that the new
compromising American policy had an effect: "Khaled Mashal, after Obama's visit and the change in policy being led by Obama, said this with the goal of showing the world the real problem, which is Israel's attitude.

Khaled Mashal's speech does not indicate any substantive
change or U-turn in Hamas policy. Mashal points out that there are Palestinian demands and that the world has to focus on the real problem, the conditions under which the Palestinian live, the humanitarian problem in Gaza, Abu Mazen, unfortunately, and the Fayyad government, which cooperates with Israeli pressure. They are scared of American and Israeli pressure."

Regarding the possibility of recognizing Israel, Bardawil provided a headline when he clearly said, "a Palestinian state is a condition for recognition. Peace is built stone by stone, at this point the Palestinian nation has left its land and lives in Gaza and the West Bank separately, what is left of our land is under occupation, and then there is a separation fence and the settlements that are growing. Talk of peace in exchange for peace, or plans that Netanyahu and Lieberman are leading that relate to the Palestinians like a small group, are not talk of peace. The fact is that Israel has not spoken up until now about a situation of two states, only the US."

Bardawil said: "We aspire to establish a Palestinian state from the Mediterranean Sea to the Jordan River. But practically, considering the situation, Hamas wants to realize its rights, to establish a Palestinian state. The entire world talks about the principle of two states for two peoples, but we see only one state, the State of Israel, which still has no clear borders and does what it wants even in the area under control of the PA. Give us a state and we'll talk about recognition."

Asked if the Palestinian state with Hamas would recognize the State of Israel, he said yes, "If our demand is met and a Palestinian state is established, we will recognize Israel, because we will have a state and they will have a state. At the moment, the situation is that one state controls another state."

He also said: "The matter of recognition is a personal matter, you recognize us and we'll recognize you. There are no magic solutions. One way is to continue the violence and the war, another is mutual recognition and the establishment of the Palestinian state. The state of Palestine will end the fighting with Israel."