Hamas politburo chief Khaled Mashaal agrees to the establishment of a Palestinian national unity government based on the prisoners' document, and allows the PLO to hold negotiations with Israel for two years, based on the international agreements signed between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, the London-based Arabic-language newspaper al-Hayat reported Wednesday morning. According to the report, which is based on Palestinian sources, this stance was presented by Mashaal to Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem bin Jabor al-Thani, in response to Qatar's proposal for a way to end the political crisis in the Palestinian Authority. According to the report, Qatar offered a stance including five principles: Accepting the international decisions, accepting the agreements signed between the PLO and Israel, accepting the principle of two states for two people, renouncing terror and violence on both sides, and authorizing the Palestinian president to negotiation with Israel for two years.
According to the Palestinian sources, the Qatari foreign minister asked the Hamas leadership to examine the ideas and give him an answer. The sources claim Hamas' first position was to reject the initiative because its principles constitute "a rewording of the Quartet conditions, which call for recognizing Israel and renouncing terror."
However, in order for the foreign minister not to leave empty-handed, Mashaal held a consultation over the weekend with Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, and the two formed an alternative proposal. According to the Palestinian sources, the new offer constitutes, "a fundamental change in Hamas' stance, as it includes a certain recognition of the agreements signed between the Palestinian Authority and Israel."
They also noted that Mashaal's offer does not include the word "resistance." According to the same sources, the proposal Mashaal submitted to the Qatari minister includes principles similar to those in the Qatari proposal, but worded differently.
Hamas agrees, according to the report, to the establishment of a national unity government based on the prisoners' document; authorizing the Palestinian president to negotiate in accordance with several principles, including honoring the UN Charter, the international law and the international decisions in a way that will guarantee the Palestinian people's rights; honoring the agreements signed by the Palestinian Authority and the PLO in a way that will guarantee the Palestinian people's rights and top interests; and stressing the Palestinian people's right to fight for liberating its land and ending the occupation through legitimate means. The report added that Qatar views the document as positive progress, and that the Qatari foreign minister was encouraged to continue his efforts to bring about a calm in the PA.