MIDDLE EAST: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said in an interview over the weekend that he is ready to establish peace with Israel in stages, is ready under certain conditions to recognise Israel, and that his Islamic movement does "not wish to throw [ the Jews] into the sea".
However, Mr Haniyeh, the Palestinian Authority prime minister-elect, who made his comments in an interview in the Washington Post, issued a qualification yesterday of his moderate-sounding remarks, insisting he had not related to the issue of recognising the Jewish state.
"If Israel declares that it will give the Palestinian people a state, and give them back all their rights, then we are ready to recognise them," the Washington Post quoted Mr Haniyeh as saying.
However the Hamas leader told reporters in Gaza: " [ I] did not tackle the issue of recognising in my interview with the Washington Post." He added that there was a possibility only of achieving a long-term truce with Israel.
However, in the interview the Post quotes Mr Haniyeh as saying that "if Israel withdraws to the '67 borders, then we will establish a peace in stages".
Asked whether he would abide by past agreements signed between the Palestinian Authority and Israel, he is non-committal: "We will review all agreements and abide by those that are in the interest of the Palestinian people."
Hamas, he added, did not have "any feelings of animosity toward Jews. We do not wish to throw them into the sea. All we seek is to be given our land back, not to harm anybody".
Referring to Mr Haniyeh's remarks, Israeli defence minister Shaul Mofaz yesterday told US assistant secretary of state for near eastern affairs David Welch, who is visiting the region, that Hamas "is trying to mislead the international community, to sweet-talk it and to exhibit an appearance of responsibility".
Having won parliamentary elections last month, Hamas has been saddled with the task of forming a new government.
The Islamic group, which carried out most of the suicide bombings during the intifada uprising and whose charter calls for Israel's destruction, is under international pressure to moderate its positions.
Russian envoy to the Middle East Alexander Kalugin said yesterday that Hamas "should clearly speak on the issue of recognising the state of Israel".
While most European countries have not rushed to engage Hamas, Russia has invited the movement's leaders to Moscow in the wake of their election victory.
Meanwhile, Israeli foreign minister Tzipi Livni referred yesterday to Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas as "irrelevant" - a term once used by the prime minister Ariel Sharon to describe Yasser Arafat, whom he hoped to isolate.
Ms Livni told Israel Radio that a Hamas government would have to decide about Israel's demands for recognition and an end to violence, and that Mr Abbas "in this regard is not relevant". Her comments appear to contradict the position adopted by the US and Europe - that moderate Palestinian leaders such as Mr Abbas should be supported.