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Hallelujah! Agreement reached on a proper title for Shimon Peres |
| By: Associated Press |
| Published: November 19, 2006 |
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Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas acknowledged Sunday that despite progress in talks to form a new Palestinian government, there are no guarantees it will be acceptable to the West and persuade the international community to lift debilitating economic sanctions.
Hamas and the moderate Fates Party have been negotiating the formation of a new government for several weeks. Negotiators say they are close to a deal, with the emerging deal pointing to the formation of a Cabinet of experts not directly affiliated with the factions.
However, it has not been clear whether such a government _ to be headed by U.S.-educated Mohammed Shabir, former head of Gaza's Islamic University _ would be acceptable to the West and get the sanctions lifted.
"There are letters, there are messages, there are talks from here and from there but ... we want to document these letters, we want to feel more secure, to be more comfortable that they are going to be committed to these guarantees and lift the siege," Haniyeh told reporters.
The United States, Europe and other Western countries slapped sanctions on the Hamas-led government when it came to power in March, demanding that the Islamic group recognize Israel, renounce violence and accept existing peace deals.
Hamas has rejected the demands but has been crippled by the sanctions. The Hamas-led Palestinian Authority, highly dependent on foreign aid, has been largely unable to pay its 165,000 state employees, causing widespread hardship in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. |
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