Hamas 'ready to accept two-state solution with Israel'

The Islamic militant group Hamas is ready for a “two-state” solution with Israel, a senior official said today, a position that would imply recognition of the Jewish state for the first time.

The official said Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh planned to present a proposal to the moderate Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, in a meeting later today.

Hamas is under heavy international pressure to renounce violence and recognise Israel.

The official said Hamas was prepared to soften its position because of the pressure, which has left the Palestinian government broke, and to enable Abbas to pursue his goal of restarting peace talks with Israel.

In return it wants Abbas to grant the group its “constitutional rights.” Abbas has taken steps recently to curb Hamas’ power in security matters.

The official said Hamas feared Israel would reject the offer and move forward with its plans to impose a border in the West Bank by 2010. The prime minister delegate, Ehud Olmert, has said he will carry out his plan if peace efforts fail.

Foreign Minister Mahmoud Zahar plans to present the “two-state” platform to the Cabinet at its next meeting on Monday, the official said, adding that he expects it to be approved.

In a published interview today, Zahar said his government was prepared to discuss the idea of a settlement with Israel with the Quartet of international Mideast negotiators – the US, European Union, Russia and United Nations.

“Let us speak about what is the meaning of the two-state solution,” he said. “We will ask them what is their concept concerning the two-state solution.”

Earlier this week, Zahar wrote to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Tuesday that the new Hamas government believed its struggle against Israel’s military occupation was just, but it wanted to live side-by-side and in peace with its neighbours.

Mark Regev, spokesman for the Israeli Foreign Ministry, dismissed the latest Hamas gestures as “verbal gymnastics”.

He repeated Israel’s demands that Hamas renounce violence, recognise Israel and accept previous peace agreements, and noted that the international community has accepted the Israeli position.

“I see no indication that Hamas is moving to accept the international community’s benchmarks,” he said. “They have no one but themselves to blame for this situation.”