Hamas open to ceasefire idea, EU told

Palestinian Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath today said the militant group Hamas could be willing to commit to a ceasefire if Israel did the same as part of renewed peace talks between Palestinians and Israelis.

Shaath said he had the impression during recent meetings between interim Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas that the group was willing to hold off on attacks.

Abbas has criticised the violence during the uprising and has met with militant groups in hopes of reaching a ceasefire.

“If Hamas commits itself to a ceasefire, Israel can reciprocate,” Shaath told a hearing of the European Parliament’s foreign affairs committee in Brussels.

“They (Hamas) are on the road to that commitment… committing themselves to the peace process.”

He said a meeting between Israeli and Egyptian officials would discuss a possible ceasefire. A local Hamas leader indicated on Monday that the group would not attack Israelis during the Palestinian presidential campaign and was considering a formal truce.

There has been a sharp drop in violence since Yasser Arafat’s death on November 11, with Palestinian militants cutting down on attacks and the Israeli army scaling back raids before the January 9 election for Arafat’s replacement.

Shaath said there was a “general sense of euphoric optimism” after Arafat’s death in restarting peace talks, but said Palestinians needed help to carry out fair elections. “This opportunity is surrounded by a lot of risks; we need a lot of help,” he said.

He said the Palestinian Authority would need further financial and political aid to help rebuild the government both ahead of elections and after, including retraining of police and helping introduce new election laws.

He added that Israel also had to ensure that the elections could be carried out fairly.

“The elections would be almost impossible if Israel continues their blockages,” Shaath said.

Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom assured the Palestinian Authority his government would work to ensure a high turnout and violence-free elections.

The EU is looking to the long-divided Palestinians to use the early days of the post-Arafat era to unite and, with Israel, help implement the dormant “road map” peace plan drafted by the United Nations, the United States, the EU and Russia.

The plan, which envisions a Palestinian state alongside Israel, stalled shortly after its launch in June 2003.