JERUSALEM, Feb. 13 (UPI) -- Israeli Vice Prime Minister Shimon Peres said Tuesday Hamas must provide "active recognition" of Israel by joining peace negotiations.
Peres said the Mecca agreement between Hamas and Fatah to form a unity government in the Palestinian Authority has "several interpretations," Haaretz reported. The agreement says nothing about whether the unity government will recognize Israel or renounce violence. The two parties agreed only to "respect" previous peace agreements between Israel and Palestine.
"There are still many question marks regarding the agreement, and several things that will be put to the test, including the release of captured (IDF) soldier Gilad Shalit, which is one of the most important tests and could remove the barrier to continued talks," Peres said.
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice plans a trip to the region next week for a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas.
