GAZA, Jan. 30 (UPI) -- Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahar said Monday a long-term truce with Israel is possible if Israel retreats to its pre-1967 borders and releases Palestinian prisoners.
Speaking to CNN, Zahar laid out a series of conditions that he said could lead to years of co-existence alongside Israel, but that he would expect it to take "one or two, 10, 15 years time in order to see what is the real intention of Israel after that."
Asked whether Hamas would renounce terrorism, Zahar said the U.S. definition of terrorism was unfair.
Israel is "killing people and children and removing our agricultural system -- this is terrorism," he said. "When the Americans (are) attacking the Arabic and Islamic world whether in Afghanistan and Iraq and they are playing a dirty game in Lebanon, this is terrorism."
He also claimed that Israel has no true intention of accepting a Palestinian state, despite international agreements including the "road map" for Middle East peace, Israel's Ha'aretz newspaper reported.
The militant Hamas Party defeated the ruling Fatah Party in Palestinian elections last week.
