Hamas ready to surrender PM post to an independent as part of a unity government

Editorial Note: The following news reports may be summaries from original sources. They may also include corrections of Arabic names and political terminology.

Date: 27 / 06 / 2007 Time: 09:10

Bethlehem - Ma'an -

The Hamas movement is ready to accept the formation of a Palestinian government headed by an independent figure in order to end the current crisis, a high-ranking source in Hamas revealed to Ma'an on Tuesday evening.

The source, who spoke with Ma'an on the condition of anonymity, added that "Hamas is ready for dialogue and to form a government with an independent figure at its head."

"Hamas is ready to return things to normal," the source added. "Hamas is not willing to control the [Gaza] Strip, or the security offices and headquarters, or other departments, but rather Hamas calls on [Palestinian President] Abbas to begin dialogue in order to remedy the security situation as this is the file which is obstructing all recent agreements".

The source added that Hamas is ready to deal with the security file on the basis of "national criteria and not factional criteria," adding that, "if this file had been dealt with in the correct way, the field situation would have been easier to deal with."

Regarding the issue of mutual recognition or non-recognition, the source said, "Abbas will not recognize Haniyeh's government and Haniyeh will not recognize Abbas' decrees; [therefore] the way out is through the formation of a new unity government."

Taha denies reports

Another Hamas spokesman, Ayman Taha, said on Wednesday that he disagrees with the way in which some Palestinian media have reported Hamas's willingness to establish a new Palestinian government with an independent minister at its head as a means of ending the current crisis.

Taha claimed that “Hamas sees no need for new initiatives; instead Hamas wants to re-establish the unity government.” With this statement, he has contradicted what other Hamas sources had disclosed earlier.

According to the representative, Hamas "still considers the unity government the only solution," but he added "we will not negotiate with murderers or usurpers, but we will talk with new people nominated by Fatah.”

Taha welcomed Egypt's invitation for a round of Palestinian-Palestinian negotiations. He said that Hamas are willing to come to the negotiating table and are ready for dialogue without any conditions.

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