Report: Hamas to offer Israel truce for boycott lift

Source: Xinhuanet | 03-08-2007 11:26

JERUSALEM, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) has expressed willingness of offering ceasefire with Israel in exchange for the lift of boycott on the new Palestinian unity government, Israeli daily Ha'aretz reported on Wednesday.

According to the report, a senior Hamas official told the daily on Tuesday that the Palestinians "will offer a promise from Hamas and Fatah of a total ceasefire with Israel, including a complete halt to Qassam (rocket) fire and suicide bombings," if Israel help the Palestinians lift the blockade on the future government.

However, Palestinians' overture only received cautious response from Israeli side, said the report.

Meanwhile, Miri Eisen, spokeswoman for Israeli Prime Ehud Olmert, was quoted by the daily that, "We need to see that you can actually implement the ceasefire (in Gaza) before we can consider an extension."

Eisen said that Israel has not responded to repeated Qassam rocket fire on southern Israel since the ceasefire in Gaza took effect. "It's about time Palestinians deliver on a promise instead of just Israel delivering on ours."

Israel and Palestinians reached an ceasefire in the Gaza Strip in last November, but the truce has been continuously violated since then.

Some minor Palestinian militant groups now and then fired rockets into southern Israel as their demand of ceasefire expansion to the West Bank was rejected by Israel.

On the other hand, Palestinian Hamas and Fatah movements are trying to put together a coalition government based on a power-sharing agreement reached in Saudi city of Mecca last month.

But it's unlikely the international community would end its year-long boycott, because the new government's program is expected to fall short of three conditions of acceptance, including recognition of Israel.

Editor:Du Xiaodan