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Carter meets Hamas leaders branded as terrorists by U.S.
"DAMASCUS, Syria: Former U.S. President Carter defied U.S. and Israeli warnings and met Friday with the exiled leader of Hamas and his deputy, two men the U.S. government has labeled terrorists and Israel accuses of masterminding attacks that have killed hundreds of civilians.
Carter is the most prominent American to hold talks with Khaled Mashaal, whose Palestinian militant group claimed new legitimacy from the meeting along with two other sessions the Nobel laureate held with Hamas leaders in the Middle East this week.
"Political isolation (of Hamas) by the American administration has begun to crumble," Mohammed Nazzal, a top figure in Hamas' political bureau, told The Associated Press after Friday's meeting at Mashaal's Damascus office.
A senior Hamas official in Damascus, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to represent the group publicly, described the meeting as "warm."
But he said Carter did not receive a response to either of the two requests the former president made in the session: that Hamas halt its rocket attacks against Israel, and agree to a meeting with Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Eli Yishai to discuss a prisoner exchange.
Nazzal said Gaza-based Hamas leaders would travel to Syria on Saturday to confer with Mashaal, and that Carter "will be informed of Hamas' response in the coming days."
But underscoring the impression that Carter did not win any concessions, Hamas said Friday that captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit will "not see the light" until Palestinian prisoners are also released in an exchange.
Carter's convoy arrived at Mashaal's office for the meeting under tight security, and reporters were prevented from getting near the site. The meeting was closed to media, and Carter was not available for comment."
Carter meets Hamas leaders branded as terrorists by U.S. - International Herald Tribune
"DAMASCUS, Syria: Former U.S. President Carter defied U.S. and Israeli warnings and met Friday with the exiled leader of Hamas and his deputy, two men the U.S. government has labeled terrorists and Israel accuses of masterminding attacks that have killed hundreds of civilians.
Carter is the most prominent American to hold talks with Khaled Mashaal, whose Palestinian militant group claimed new legitimacy from the meeting along with two other sessions the Nobel laureate held with Hamas leaders in the Middle East this week.
"Political isolation (of Hamas) by the American administration has begun to crumble," Mohammed Nazzal, a top figure in Hamas' political bureau, told The Associated Press after Friday's meeting at Mashaal's Damascus office.
A senior Hamas official in Damascus, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to represent the group publicly, described the meeting as "warm."
But he said Carter did not receive a response to either of the two requests the former president made in the session: that Hamas halt its rocket attacks against Israel, and agree to a meeting with Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Eli Yishai to discuss a prisoner exchange.
Nazzal said Gaza-based Hamas leaders would travel to Syria on Saturday to confer with Mashaal, and that Carter "will be informed of Hamas' response in the coming days."
But underscoring the impression that Carter did not win any concessions, Hamas said Friday that captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit will "not see the light" until Palestinian prisoners are also released in an exchange.
Carter's convoy arrived at Mashaal's office for the meeting under tight security, and reporters were prevented from getting near the site. The meeting was closed to media, and Carter was not available for comment."
Carter meets Hamas leaders branded as terrorists by U.S. - International Herald Tribune