Head of Palestinian Hamas political bureau Khaled Meshal said that the movement will be open in principle to negotiations with the Zionist entity, even though the facts on the ground today make such talk pointless.

Head of Palestinian Hamas political bureau Khaled Meshal said that the movement will be open in principle to negotiations with the Zionist entity, even though the facts on the ground today make such talk pointless, western media quoted Meshaal as saying on Tuesday.

Speaking to the American Foreign Policy news magazine, Meshaal said the most important condition for negotiation to succeed is the balance of power, because without [it]... no peace can be achieved, arguing that an attempt to engage the Zionists diplomatically without proper leverage meant negotiations "would be turned to begging, begging for the rights of our people."
 
While considering the armed resistance as an essential element, Meshaal confirmed it is a means and does not represent the goal, adding that the popular resistance has other options through diplomacy, media and charging the enemy in the legal arena to pay for his crimes.

During the interview that conducted after electing him for the political bureau of Hamas, Meshaal expressed support for peaceful means adopted by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, noting that the blame for the failure to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian dispute does not lie with the Palestinians.

"Israel is the one responsible. Israel occupies the lands ... they are practicing the worst kind of killing," he said.

Meshaal also indicated that the Palestinians are not fanatics or bloodthirsty killers, adding that “We are not against the Israelis because they hold a different faith, or because they are from a different race. Our problem with them is because they are occupiers of our land.

“When the occupation ends, we will work according to our values and our ethics.... And those values are democracy, justice, human rights, and respect for our diverse world."

Touching on the attempts by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry to revive the so-called "peace process," Mashaal considered that his efforts are doomed to fail because he does not have a serious project or vision.

He also expressed rejection of the Arab League's endorsement of land swaps between the Palestinians and the Zionist occupiers as part of a peace deal.