Hamas rejects Israel talks after Peres comments

Hamas has reasserted its rejection of dialogue with Israel in the wake of remarks by Israeli President Shimon Peres in which he revealed his willingness to enter into talks with Hamas.  The Israeli President was reported by the Jerusalem Post as saying: “Israel would be willing to talk to Hamas, if Hamas complied with the three conditions set down by the Mideast Quartet, namely renunciation of terrorism, recognition of Israel and willingness to negotiate with Israel.” “There’s nothing wrong with talking to Hamas, but Hamas won’t talk to Israel,” Peres said, adding “they have to decide if they want peace or war.” In remarks to the media on Monday evening, senior Hamas official Salah Bardawil rejected the idea of talks with Israel, which he described as “bargaining over the Palestinian cause.” Addressing Peres, Bardawil gave the Isaeli president two options “Either continue to rape the Palestinian territories and await further strikes by the resistance, or leave to secure a peaceful existence elsewhere.” “We do not want talks with them [...] with the Quartet’s terms or without them,” he concluded.