WASHINGTON/RAMALLAH, 23 June 2003 — Israel’s killing of a high-ranking Hamas official will not scuttle planned cease-fire talks with Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas, one of the group’s top officials said yesterday.
Abu Shanab, a member of the Hamas leadership in Gaza, told ABC television’s “This Week” program that talks with Abbas, also known as Abu Mazen, would go forward.
“We promised Abu Mazen to give him an answer, maybe tomorrow. So maybe this will influence the Hamas decision. But up till this point, we didn’t give a final statement,” he said.
Shanab said Hamas would likely accept a cease-fire if Israel stops the policy of assassinations and withdraws from Gaza. “This is what we discussed with Abu Mazen, and we gave this offer many times before this opportunity. So the possibility is there,” he said.
Israeli troops killed Abdullah Qawasmeh, Hamas’ local West Bank chief in Hebron, late Saturday.
Shanab decried the assassination yesterday and said it points to the need for an end to the ongoing cycle of Middle East violence.
“I want the whole world to notice what the Palestinians suffer under Israeli occupation. We are in the political wing, (and) do not know what will be the reaction of the military wing. But it is a cycle of violence started from the occupation,” and it is “endless,” he said.
Meanwhile, Palestinian officials said yesterday they would soon reach an agreement with Israel on regaining control of the army-occupied Gaza Strip and West Bank town of Bethlehem but that they needed further US and Israeli guarantees.
“We’re still working with the Americans and Israel to reach this agreement and it’s highly possible we will succeed but there are conditions,” said Palestinian Information Minister Nabil Amr.
“We need US and Israeli guarantees that assassinations and arrests (of militants) will stop and that Israel will liberate Palestinian prisoners,” he said. Amr was reacting to earlier declarations by Israeli Foreigh Minister Sylvan Shalom that both sides were “close now to reach an agreement.”
“Israel is willing to leave Gaza and Bethlehem. It is up to the Palestinians to decide if they are willing to take the territories under their responsibility,” Shalom told reporters at a World Economic Forum in Jordan.
Palestinian Culture Minister Ziab Abu Amer, who is also spearheading efforts to negotiate a truce with hard-line Palestinian groups, slammed Shalom’s comments as “not honest” and “not serious.”
“They’re not honest and not serious. Israel wants to maintain army posts on Gaza’s main street,” he said. “Our position is clear, the army must fully withdraw before we can agree to take over Gaza,” he said,
“Let them proceed to a clean withdrawal and we will manage our own internal affairs,” he said, in reference to convincing militant groups to stop anti-Israeli attacks.
