Report: Hamas Endorses Two-State Solution

Haaretz is reporting that Khaled Meshal, the political leader of Hamas, has given the nod to a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict based on the 1967 borders.

Khaled Meshal, head of the Syrian branch of Hamas’ political bureau, has reportedly accepted the idea of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and has authorized King Abdullah of Jordan to convey the message on his behalf to U.S. President Barack Obama. His new stance marks a dramatic shift in Hamas’ position on the long-standing conflict.



The revelation comes according to a report in the Saudi newspaper “Al-Sharq,” which cited Jordanian sources, who said Meshal accepted the idea during a meeting this week with the Jordanian king.

The article goes on to discuss Palestinian reconciliation, which remains a huge obstacle as well as the relationship between Hamas and Jordan. But most notable here is the reported/to-be-taken-with-a grain-of-salt departure from Hamas’ previous stance.

To date, Hamas has rejected the two-state solution, although it welcomed the Arab peace initiative whose core was the existence of two states based on the 1967 borders. In the past, however, Meshal has stressed that the 1967 borders are only a first step in the ultimate liberation of all of Palestine. This change in position is an extension of a previous shift in orientation in which Hamas, after fierce opposition, decided to support Mahmoud Abbas’ effort to gain international acceptance of Palestine as a non-member observer nation in the United Nations.

This comes just hours after former Member of Knesset Yossi Beilin said that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would support a Palestinian state under provisional borders.

So that’s it, right?

Report: Meshal says Hamas accepts a two-state solution [Haaretz]
Netanyahu would agree to interim Palestinian state, ex-minister claims [Times of Israel]