Carter: Hamas willing to accept Israel as neighbor

VIDEO - Former US President Jimmy Carter on Monday said Hamas is prepared to accept the right of Israel to "live as a neighbor next door in peace." His comments came after he met last week with the top Hamas leaders in Syria. Carter also said Hamas won't undermine Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' efforts to reach a peace deal with Israel. He said Hamas is ready to accept a Palestinian state the West Bank and Gaza. Video: Infolive.tv Carter made the comments during a speech in Jerusalem on Monday during an event hosted by the Israeli Council of Foreign Relations. "They said they would accept a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders if approved by Palestinians ... Even though Hamas might disagree with some terms of the agreement," Carter said. "It means that Hamas will not undermine Abbas's efforts to negotiate an agreement and Hamas will accept an agreement if the Palestinians support it in a free vote," he said. However, Hamas said Monday it won't necessarily accept the results of any Palestinian referendum on peace with Israel. Sami Abu Zuhri, a Hamas spokesman said Carter's comments ''do not mean that Hamas is going to accept the result of the referendum.'' Carter also said Hamas has promised to let kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit send a letter to his parents . In a meeting with Minister Eli Yishai earlier, Carter said that Hamas chief Khaled Mashaal reassured him that Shalit was "in very good condition." Hamas turns down truce proposal Carter said that Hamas turned down his proposal for a 30-day unilateral ceasefire with Israel. He said Hamas did not trust Israel to respond to such a truce. The former US President also said it's a "problem" that Israel and the US refuse to meet with Hamas."The problem is not that I met with Hamas in Syria," he said. "The problem is that Israel and the United States refuse to meet with someone who must be involved." Carter also said Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking has "regressed" since a US-hosted Mideast conference in Annapolis, Maryland, in November. Speaking about the possibility of renewed peace talks between Israel and Syria, he said Syria wants the US to play a "strong role" in bringing to two sides together.

Carter: Hamas willing to accept Israel as neighbor

(Video) Former US president says in Jerusalem speech Hamas heads told him they are willing to accept peace deal brokered by Abbas that will include return to 1967 borders; reassures Israel captive Gilad Shalit in very good condition