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Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal in Khartoum, Sunday. (AP)
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A young Palestinian Hamas supporter carries a gun. (AP File)
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| By Israel Insider staff and partners February 13, 2006 |
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Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said he has received widespread international support for his refusal to negotiate with Hamas, but pledged to pursue diplomatic options if they present themselves after the Islamic terrorist group forms a new Palestinian government.
Addressing a rally for his Kadima Party on Sunday evening, Olmert said the "vast majority" of the international community, including the U.S., Britain, France and Italy, backs Israel's policy. He did not mention Russia, which has infuriated Israel by inviting Hamas leaders for talks in Moscow.
'"We will not conduct any negotiations with Hamas or with anyone who is part of it or dependent on it," Olmert told the crowd in the central city of Petach Tikva. International backing for this policy gives Israel the ability to protect its security "without closing off diplomatic avenues, if those exist, to continue moving forward."
He did not elaborate, but Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has indicated he might retain control over diplomatic contacts with Israel after Hamas assumes power, leaving the militants in charge of domestic policy.
Hamas, which has killed hundreds of Israelis in suicide attacks, swept to victory in Palestinian legislative elections last month and is expected to form a new government in the coming weeks. Abbas, elected to a four-year term last year, will continue to serve as president of the Palestinian Authority.
Israel has said it would not deal with Hamas until it renounces violence, recognizes Israel and accepts past agreements between Israel and the Palestinians. The so-called Quartet of Mideast peace mediators, made up of the U.S., European Union, United Nations and Russia - has come out in support of the Israeli position.
On Sunday, Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said Moscow's invitation to Hamas could crack international resolve to isolate the group.
"The Russian position is currently not accepted in the international community," she told Israel Radio. "Part of the danger is going down the slippery slope of first talking, then starting to understand why, then supporting with money, then granting legitimacy. This is a phenomenon that needs to be acted against."
The Quartet has threatened to withhold hundreds of millions of dollars of vital aid to the Palestinians if Hamas does not change its ways.
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Sunday she has been assured that the Russians will continue to abide by the positions of the Quartet. Russia has said it would use the meeting to put pressure on Hamas to recognize Israel and give up violence.
A leader of the Palestinian militant group Hamas rejected international demands to renounce violence, saying in a newspaper interview published Monday that Israel must first pledge to leave all occupied lands.
But the head of Hamas' political wing, Khaled Mashaal, told the Russian daily Nezavisimaya Gazeta that Moscow had taken a valuable step by inviting Hamas leaders to Russia for talks later this month.
"Russia is the first of the countries in the Middle East Quartet that respected the choice made by the Palestinian people and made it clear once again that it does not consider Hamas an extremist and terrorist movement," said Mashaal.
"We greatly appreciate this stance," he said.
Mashaal, who is expected to lead the delegation to Moscow, said that as long as Israel insisted on retaining control of occupied territories, Hamas would not give up violence.
"But if Israel recognizes our rights and commits itself to leaving all occupied lands, then Hamas as well as the Palestinian people will take a decision to halt armed resistance," he said.
The Hamas leader also reiterated that his group does not accept the "road map" peace plan backed by the Quartet because Israel allegedly does not abide by it.
President Vladimir Putin's invitation to Hamas to visit Moscow stunned Israel. One Cabinet minister accused Putin of "stabbing Israel in the back."
But in an apparent effort not to alienate Moscow as Washington seeks Russian support for international pressure over Iran's nuclear program, Israel on Sunday signaled it would not trigger a crisis with Russia over its intention to invite leaders of Hamas for talks.
Dealing with the Hamas victory is a tough test for Olmert, who became acting prime minister and Kadima leader after Ariel Sharon was incapacitated by a massive stroke on Jan. 4. Sharon, 77, has not regained consciousness and is not expected to recover.
Sharon was in critical but stable condition Sunday, a day after he was rushed back into the operating room for surgery to remove a third of his colon, which had decayed during his long coma.
Walking a thin line, Olmert last week approved releasing about $50 million in tax money Israel collects for the Palestinians. But he has threatened to cut off the monthly transfer once Hamas takes power.
The Palestinian parliament is to be sworn in Thursday, and Hamas expects to form a new Cabinet in the coming weeks.
In anticipation of those developments, Russian President Vladimir Putin extended his invitation, and Hamas leaders said they planned to travel to Moscow later this month.
Russia's envoy to the Palestinians, Alexey Pogodin, met with Abbas on Sunday and told reporters that Moscow would urge Hamas to moderate its stance to Israel.
AP contributed to this report.
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