Has the Ultra-Terrorist Hamas agreed to recognize Israel?

Question

Headlines early Thursday appeared to indicate that Hamas has accepted the existence of Israel. However, when Hamas people had someone read the stories to them, they vigorously denied the claim.

Only one hour after the full interview was published by Reuters, Hamas government spokesperson Ghazi Hamad told Ha'aretz that Meshaal said, "Israel exists - and that's a fact." However, Hamad maintained that "there was no change in our stance that Hamas does not recognize Israel."

Salah Bardawil, head of Hamas's parliamentary faction, told Ha'aretz that after checking with Meshaal, it seems to be that his words were twisted and distorted.

"He didn't speak about any recognition of Israel, only a cease-fire with Israel," Bardawil said.

The bottom line - despite the Reuters interview and some resulting media reports, Hamas has not fulfilled the three basic criteria of the international community for lifting financial sanctions on the Palestinian government - recognition of Israel's right to exist, forswearing terrorism, and accepting previous Israeli-Palestinian agreements.

Answer 1

Not at all.

Answer 2

Agreeing that Israel exists does not mean Hamas recognises it in the formal definition.

Officially recognising Israel would mean Hamas acknowledges Israels right to exist in its current form. It would be the first step to recognising Israel has a right to the land it claims as its own (land that was Palestinian under British Mandate Palestine and some of which was Palestinian pre 1964 and some of which is still officially Palestinian!).

Hamas's decision not to recognise Israel means they refuse to concede the land the Palestinian population have historically lived upon and were bequeathed at the fall of the Ottoman empire.

Recognising Israel means recognising Israels government, its sovereignity, its peoples right to rule themselves, recognising Israel is a separate state. A state needs, and has a right to, land, namely the land it is formed on. By refusing to acknowledge Israel as a state, Hamas refuses it the right to the land it is on.

Answer 3

Thank you for labelling Hamas for what they are--terrorists.
They have begun to be taken seriously (in a positive way) by more and more people, which is very disturbing... just like Arafat toward the end was seen as a 'figure of peace and wisdom'. If the people who thought that of him only knew what he was really like, what he really did...

Answer 4

I don't believe it. They wouldn't come out and say that bluntly. They might give a vaugue statement to that effect that they can retract and say everyone misunderstood them at any time. But never a bold declaration.

Answer 5

Hamas will never recognize Israel. So who is firing missles at them?

Answer 6

Words hide bombs.