CAIRO, February 1, 2006 (IslalmOnline.net & News Agencies) – A Palestinian Authority official denied Wednesday, February 1, news reports that the Palestinian resistance group Hamas would have to recognize Israel to join the next government as the group hints at renewing last year's expired ceasefire with Israel.

The Palestinian official said on condition of anonymity that formal recognition of Israel would not be a prerequisite for Hamas or any other Palestinian group joining the new government, Reuters reported.

Egyptian Intelligence Chief Omar Suleiman reportedly said on Wednesday that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who held talks with Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak, would not ask Hamas to form a government unless the group recognized Israel and “stop violence.”

Suleiman is Mubarak's pointman on dealings with the Palestinians. He has mediated between Hamas and Abbas's Fatah movement, on the one hand, and between Israelis and Palestinians, on the other.

Hamas has swept the Palestinian legislative elections, winning a surprising 74 of the 132-seat legislature, against 45 for the ruling Fatah party.

The resistance group has come under mounting pressures from Western countries to recognize Israel to secure flow of foreign aid to the Palestinians.

The Middle East peacemaking Quartet, which groups the US, EU, Russia and the UN, warned Monday, January 30, that payments to the Palestinians would be under threat if Hamas did not radically alter its principle on Israel's recognition before entering government.

Reacting to the Quartet demands, the resistance group accused the West of blackmailing.

Abu Marzouk said Hamas could renew last year's ceasefire with Israel.

The Palestinian official, who is close to Abbas, stressed that the new government must commit itself to implementing agreements with Israel.

"President (Mahmoud) Abbas's position is that he will ask any government to work on implementing the commitments of the Palestinian Authority, including an interim peace accord from 1993 and the US-backed peace roadmap," the official said.

"This has been his position and he has declared it immediately after the election," he added.

In an interview with Egypt's independent daily Al Masry Al Yom, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul-Gheit said Hamas might be willing to coexist with Israel if Israel returns to the 1967 borders.

"I believe that Hamas is talking about the borders of 1967 and in this they do not differ much from all the Palestinian national currents or the Arab proposal," he said.

Being in office would have an effect on Hamas thinking, he said. "The whole dossier will be in its hands, which leads me to believe that logically it (Hamas) will be compelled towards the greatest degree of flexibility."

A delegation from Hamas crossed into Egypt Wednesday and was due to hold talks in Cairo on the first leg of a tour of Arab countries.

Palestinian representative to the Arab League Mohammed Sobeih told Agence France-Presse (AFP) earlier that a meeting was scheduled to take place in Gaza Friday, February 3, during which Abbas and Hamas officials were expected to discuss the formation of the government.

A senior Hamas figure, meanwhile, said the resistance group could renew last year's ceasefire with Israel to placate Western countries concerned after the group's stunning electoral victory.

"We understand that they (the Western states) need a quiet region, without conflicts, and we know that it's possible to attain this goal. Truce is one of the projects through which we could deal with," Hamas politburo deputy-chief Moussa told reporters.

"I believe that this (ceasefire) would placate everybody if they understand Hamas's stand and talk to Hamas on these grounds."

"I believe that this is one of the options which we could propose in the future to cooperate with the international community to bring about peace and tranquillity to this region," he added.

Palestinian resistance factions had observed a de facto truce since Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was elected in January, 2004.