Hamas chief has told the New York Times that its fighters in the Gaza Strip halted the launching of rockets at southern Israel. According to him, his group was looking for a state in the areas Israel occupied in 1967.
“I promise the American administration and the international community that we will be part of the solution, period,” Khaled Masha'sl, was quoted as saying. He, however, insisted that Hamas would not recognize Israel, saying “There is only one enemy in the region, and that is Israel.”
Regarding President Obama, the Hamas leader said, “His language is different and positive.”
On the two-state solution Masha'al conveyed: “We are with a state on the 1967 borders, based on a long-term truce. This includes East Jerusalem, the dismantling of settlements and the right of return of the Palestinian refugees.” Asked what “long-term” meant, he said 10 years.
