Egypt Urges Hamas to End Violence and Recognize Israel

By STEVEN ERLANGER
Published: February 1, 2006
CAIRO, Feb. 1 — Egypt insisted today that Hamas renounce violence, confirm existing agreements between Israel and the Palestinians, and recognize Israel if it wants to form the next Palestinian government.

The statement, from the Egyptian intelligence chief, Omar Suleiman, was the most forceful to emerge from the Arab world. Mr. Suleiman, considered the second most powerful man in Egypt after President Hosni Mubarak, has been in charge of herding the various Palestinian factions into agreement since the death of Yasir Arafat.

Mr. Suleiman said that Hamas should: "One, stop the violence. Two, it should become doctrine with them to be committed to all the agreements signed with Israel. Three, they have to recognize Israel." If Hamas "won't commit to these conditions," he said, the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, "is not obliged to ask them to form a government."