Abbas Aide Says Hamas Doesn’t Have to Recognize Israel
Wednesday, May 04, 2011
By Staff, Associated Press

Jerusalem (AP) – International mediators should drop their demand that the Gaza Strip’s Hamas rulers recognize Israel, an aide to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Wednesday, just hours before his Western-backed government was to sign a reconciliation deal with Hamas.
The accord, to be inked in Cairo, would end a four-year rift between the bitter rivals and pave the way for a joint caretaker government ahead of national elections next year.
Israel has denounced the plan for Abbas’ Fatah movement to join forces with Hamas because of the militant group’s long history of deadly attacks against Israeli targets, and has equated the deal with a renunciation of peacemaking.
Like the United States and the European Union, Israel considers Hamas a terrorist organization and says it will not negotiate with a future Palestinian government that includes the Iranian-backed group.
It’s not clear whether Western powers would deal with the new government that is to emerge from the unity deal. They’ve said they are waiting to see its composition.

http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/abbas-aide-says-hamas-doesnt-have-recogn

U.S. Waiting to See What Fatah-Hamas Gov’t Looks Like Before Announcing Stance
Wednesday, May 04, 2011
By Patrick Goodenough

(AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

The Palestinian terrorist group Hamas has close ties with Iran. In his file photo Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal (right), who will be signing the unity agreement with P.A. chairman Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday, and another Palestinian terrorist group’s leader meet with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, in Tehran on Feb. 28, 2010.

(CNSNews.com) – Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday will formally sign a reconciliation pact with leaders of the Hamas terrorist group, but the Obama administration is waiting to see what the resulting unity government looks like before announcing its stance towards it.

The signing in Cairo comes two days after Hamas’ Gaza-based leader lauded Osama bin Laden as a martyr and great Islamic warrior, and a day after the armed wing of Abbas’ Fatah faction also expressed sorrow at the terrorist’s death at the hands of “non-believers,” adding that the it would not stop “our jihad mission against injustice and occupation.”

http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/us-waiting-see-what-fatah-hamas-gov-t-lo