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Senior Hamas leader says Israel could be isolated by Egypt vote

Q & A

A victory in Egypt for the Muslim Brotherhood candidate would leave Israel vulnerable, says senior Hamas leader Ghazi Hamad.

June 08, 2012|By Edmund Sanders, Los Angeles Times

The international community should open their eyes and see that the policy of boycott and isolation is not fruitful or productive. Hamas is now a major player in this region. I don't say it's an angel. We made some mistakes. But Hamas has to be part of the peace process. We've made many positive changes in the past five years. We agreed [in principal] to become part of the PLO. We participated in elections. We talk about a cease-fire. But the international community doesn't look at that.

No one in Hamas will accept the quartet conditions. There is nothing to convince us that this track is correct. Look at what happened to Abbas [who accepts the conditions]. For 21 years he's said he's a man of peace and against violence. He did everything Israel asked. He even makes security coordination with Israel [in the West Bank]. What did he get? More settlements. Israel ignores him. He's very angry.

Setting aside the issue of recognition of Israel, isn't it reasonable that the international community should expect that Hamas, or anyone receiving its support and funding, commit itself to a political process and renounce violence?

Look, we are not Al Qaeda. We are fighting for our people. We don't believe in violence if we can achieve our goals through peaceful means. If Israel commits to a truce and calm, we will too.

edmund.sanders@latimes.com

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