Hamas ready for M-E peace push

2006-03-27 18:14

Gaza City - Incoming Palestinian Pprime Minister Ismail Haniya pledged on Monday that his Hamas government would spare no effort in striving for peace in the Middle East as he welcomed international mediation efforts.

Haniya, whose Islamist group has been behind dozens of suicide attacks during a five-year uprising, told MPs that the Palestinian people had the right to continue the independence "struggle".

But, he emphasised his desire for talks with international players, including Washington, to end the conflict with Israel.

And he also urged the United States, which considers Hamas a terrorist organisation, to alter its stance towards the Palestinians.

He rejected threats from the West to slash funding unless his incoming administration radically altered its hardline platform.

His speech had been due to be followed by a vote for the 24-strong list of ministers that he has drawn up since the Islamists' sensational election victory two months ago.

'We'll spare no effort'

However, the number of MPs who wanted to speak forced the speaker to order a delay until Tuesday.

"Our government will spare no effort to reach a just peace in the region, putting an end to the occupation and restoring out rights," Haniya told MPs.

"We have never been supporters of war, terrorism or bloodletting.

"Instead it is the Israeli occupation that waged all forms of terrorism against our people in chasing them out of their homeland, besieging it and starving it."

Israel has refused to have any dealings with the incoming administration.

It already has imposed a series of sanctions, including travel restrictions that forced Haniya to deliver the speech to the Ramallah-based parliament via video-link from its Gaza City branch.

Wants end to Israeli occupation

Haniya was heavily critical of acting Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert's plan to unilaterally fix the Jewish state's final borders.

He said it would "turn our country into isolated cantons", and he also demanding an end to the Israeli occupation and the dismantling of its West Bank barrier.

But, while holding off any suggestion of negotiating with Israel, Haniya welcomed the prospect of continued international involvement in the peace process, in particular from the so-called Middle East quartet.

- AFP