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| Hamas Aide Hints at Softening on Direct Talks With Israel | Hamas Aide Hints at Softening on Direct Talks With Israel |
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| JERUSALEM — With no clear plan in place to continue Egyptian-brokered talks that halted this summer’s hostilities between Israel and Hamas, the militant Palestinian movement that dominates the Gaza Strip, a senior Hamas leader said in an interview broadcast Thursday that the group might have to reverse its longstanding ban on direct negotiations with Israel. | JERUSALEM — With no clear plan in place to continue Egyptian-brokered talks that halted this summer’s hostilities between Israel and Hamas, the militant Palestinian movement that dominates the Gaza Strip, a senior Hamas leader said in an interview broadcast Thursday that the group might have to reverse its longstanding ban on direct negotiations with Israel. |
| The senior leader, Mousa Abu Marzook, a Hamas official based in Cairo who has been visiting Gaza, told Al-Quds Television that Islamic law did not bar such talks, and that they could be necessary if no other route yielded progress on reconstructing thousands of buildings demolished across Gaza. The comments, along with Hamas’s partial payment of salaries on Thursday to employees of its former Gaza government, highlighted increasing tension threatening the recent reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah, the rival faction led by President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority. | The senior leader, Mousa Abu Marzook, a Hamas official based in Cairo who has been visiting Gaza, told Al-Quds Television that Islamic law did not bar such talks, and that they could be necessary if no other route yielded progress on reconstructing thousands of buildings demolished across Gaza. The comments, along with Hamas’s partial payment of salaries on Thursday to employees of its former Gaza government, highlighted increasing tension threatening the recent reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah, the rival faction led by President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority. |
| “As we negotiate with weapons, we can negotiate with words,” Mr. Marzook said, stumbling as he tried to address the anchor’s question about the possibility of direct talks with Israel. “If the status quo remains, and I say it very frankly, because it has become kind of a public demand by all the people in the Gaza Strip, Hamas may find itself compelled to this behavior.” | “As we negotiate with weapons, we can negotiate with words,” Mr. Marzook said, stumbling as he tried to address the anchor’s question about the possibility of direct talks with Israel. “If the status quo remains, and I say it very frankly, because it has become kind of a public demand by all the people in the Gaza Strip, Hamas may find itself compelled to this behavior.” |
| Hinting that the Palestinian government, created by the reconciliation, had failed to deliver anything for Gaza residents, he added: “The issues that were sort of taboo policies become on the agenda.” | Hinting that the Palestinian government, created by the reconciliation, had failed to deliver anything for Gaza residents, he added: “The issues that were sort of taboo policies become on the agenda.” |
| The Hamas politburo released a statement after the interview aired saying that “direct negotiations with the Zionist enemy are not of the movement’s policies and are not in the discussions.” | The Hamas politburo released a statement after the interview aired saying that “direct negotiations with the Zionist enemy are not of the movement’s policies and are not in the discussions.” |
| Israel has its own ban on talks with Hamas, unless the movement accepts three conditions: renounce violence, recognize Israel and embrace previous agreements between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization. | Israel has its own ban on talks with Hamas, unless the movement accepts three conditions: renounce violence, recognize Israel and embrace previous agreements between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization. |
| “As long as Hamas does not abandon the path of violence and terrorism,” Yaakov Peri, a senior Israeli minister, said Thursday on Israel Radio, “Israel will not conduct direct negotiations with that terrorist organization.” | “As long as Hamas does not abandon the path of violence and terrorism,” Yaakov Peri, a senior Israeli minister, said Thursday on Israel Radio, “Israel will not conduct direct negotiations with that terrorist organization.” |
| But Mr. Marzook’s comments may have been less about a practical policy change than a political shot at Mr. Abbas, whose harsh criticism of Hamas over the weekend renewed doubts about the durability of the reconciliation pact signed in April. | But Mr. Marzook’s comments may have been less about a practical policy change than a political shot at Mr. Abbas, whose harsh criticism of Hamas over the weekend renewed doubts about the durability of the reconciliation pact signed in April. |
| A Fatah leader close to Mr. Abbas led the Palestinian delegation in Cairo that accepted a cease-fire with Israel on Aug. 26, promising to open crossings into Gaza, which has yet to produce results on the ground. Those talks are supposed to resume this month to discuss reconstruction as well as Palestinian demands for an airport and seaport in Gaza. But many in Hamas now question whether a unified delegation will represent its position. | |
| One of Hamas’s main goals in the reconciliation was to secure payment of salaries for more than 40,000 people who had staffed ministries in Gaza since 2007, when Hamas, which won elections the previous year and formed a unity government with Fatah, routed its rival from Gaza. But the Palestinian Authority, which in the intervening years continued to pay salaries for 70,000 employees of its own in Gaza, maintains that it cannot send money to anyone affiliated with Hamas, for fear of risking financial support from countries like the United States that consider it a terrorist group. | One of Hamas’s main goals in the reconciliation was to secure payment of salaries for more than 40,000 people who had staffed ministries in Gaza since 2007, when Hamas, which won elections the previous year and formed a unity government with Fatah, routed its rival from Gaza. But the Palestinian Authority, which in the intervening years continued to pay salaries for 70,000 employees of its own in Gaza, maintains that it cannot send money to anyone affiliated with Hamas, for fear of risking financial support from countries like the United States that consider it a terrorist group. |
| So Hamas, which has already distributed $40 million to families whose homes were attacked by Israel, on Thursday provided $275 to $1,240 to each of its employees in what officials described as a loan. Hamas, which was suffering financially this spring, has refused to say where the money originated. | So Hamas, which has already distributed $40 million to families whose homes were attacked by Israel, on Thursday provided $275 to $1,240 to each of its employees in what officials described as a loan. Hamas, which was suffering financially this spring, has refused to say where the money originated. |
| Employees who had not been paid for months lined up outside the Islamic National Bank in Gaza City, where three money-changers were on hand to exchange the payments in United States dollars to shekels, the Israeli currency used in Gaza. Jehad Bahrawi, a driver in the prison ministry, got three $100 bills, about half his monthly salary. | Employees who had not been paid for months lined up outside the Islamic National Bank in Gaza City, where three money-changers were on hand to exchange the payments in United States dollars to shekels, the Israeli currency used in Gaza. Jehad Bahrawi, a driver in the prison ministry, got three $100 bills, about half his monthly salary. |
| “I’m not going to buy school uniforms or book bags for my kids,” said Mr. Bahrawi, 44, a father of seven whose home in the Shejaiya neighborhood was damaged but not destroyed. “I will pay for the supermarket and other debts and nothing will remain.” | “I’m not going to buy school uniforms or book bags for my kids,” said Mr. Bahrawi, 44, a father of seven whose home in the Shejaiya neighborhood was damaged but not destroyed. “I will pay for the supermarket and other debts and nothing will remain.” |
| The payments only underscored Mr. Abbas’s accusation that Hamas continued to operate a shadow government in Gaza after the reconciliation. But in a statement, Sami Abu Zuhri, a Hamas spokesman, said, “We still hope that a solution will be reached by the national-consensus government.” | The payments only underscored Mr. Abbas’s accusation that Hamas continued to operate a shadow government in Gaza after the reconciliation. But in a statement, Sami Abu Zuhri, a Hamas spokesman, said, “We still hope that a solution will be reached by the national-consensus government.” |