Haniyeh calls on Fatah to renounce recognition of Israel

            Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh on Friday called on Fatah to renounce their recognition of Israel. Haniyeh was addressing reporters following Friday prayers in Gaza. His comments came on the background of Israel's denouncing the unity deal reached this week between Hamas and Fatah. "The presence of the Zionist entity on our land is illegal and it is impossible to recognize it," Haniyeh stated. "Recognizing the Zionist entity cannot be justified after it rejected the rights of the Palestinians and the internal unity," he added. Haniyeh said that he believed the deal between Hamas and Fatah would hold up this time because of the changing environment in the Arab world and the lessons learned from past experience. Also on Friday, Palestinian officials said Egypt has invited Palestinian leaders to Cairo next week for the signing of the unity agreement that would end rivalry among the ruling factions. The Egyptian-brokered deal, announced unexpectedly on Wednesday, calls for forming a new government acceptable to both Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah faction, which is dominant in the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip Hamas's rulers. Israel denounced the agreement, saying Abbas could not be a peace partner if he mends ties with Hamas, a group whose charter calls for the destruction of the Jewish state, but which has said it is open to a long-term ceasefire. Western powers said the unity deal was an important step, but made clear they expect any new administration to accept international demands, which include the recognition of Israel and a renunciation of violence. "We have always asked for reconciliation and peace between Gaza and the occupied territory (West Bank). But this can only work if it is done in the necessary environment," said Pierre Vimont, secretary-general of the diplomatic corps of the European Union.(19,00)