Hamas: Peace Is 'A Failed Experiment'

Two Hamas lawmakers on Sunday dismissed any future peace talks with Israel, calling past negotiations "a failed experiment" and said Arab nations had rejected U.S. pressure to force the militant Palestinian movement to moderate.

Hamas leaders Mahmoud Zahar and Saeed Syiam made the comments during a gathering of Arab parliamentarians on the Jordanian shore of the Dead Sea.

Speaking to The Associated Press on the sidelines of the conference, Zahar asserted that Hamas' recent upset victory in last month's legislative elections strengthened its hardline stand.

"We don't consider the Israeli enemy a partner. By winning the elections, we defeated Israel," he said. "Why should we recognize Israel? Pressure is coming from the United States on us, not from Arab countries."

He said negotiations between the previous Palestinian government and Israel "a failed experience that would not be repeated."

Syiam pointed to the refusal by Arab heavyweights, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, key Mideast U.S. allies, to support a U.S. financial boycott of Hamas as it takes control of the Palestinian parliament. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice made the failed appeal during her visit to the region last week.

"Rice's visit was provocative, but we found that the Arab position was so firm that she wasn't able to change their views," Syiam told AP.

On Saturday, The Washington Post quoted Hamas' prime minister-designate, Ismail Haniyeh, as saying, "If Israel withdraws to the '67 borders, then we will establish a peace in stages," the first time the group used the word "peace" in conjunction with the Jewish state.

But in the interview, Haniyeh was evasive when asked if Hamas would recognize Israel and vague about how he sees the final borders of a Palestinian state. In the meantime, Hamas has refused to accept Israel's conditions for negotiations: recognize the Jewish state, disarm and accept past agreements with Israel, including interim peace accords.

Syiam said that difficulties faced by exiled Hamas leaders prohibited from entering Jordan, such as Khaled Mashaal, could be solved by talks with the Jordanian authorities.

But Zahar added that "no contacts with government officials have yet taken place. We hope that Jordan's doors will be open for our brothers abroad."

Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa, upon arrival in Amman, told journalists that "it is necessary to support Hamas because they are the choice of the Palestinian people."

Moussa, who is expected to participate in the Arab lawmaker's conference, said Hamas has the right to be given the full opportunity to form a new government and work for national unity because it was democratically elected."

Our support to the Palestinian people doesn't change with a change in government, he added.