Khaled Mesh’al, chief of the Palestinian resistance group HAMAS, gave a press conference in Cairo yesterday, which unfortunately I could not attend. But here’s an AP report by Nadia Abou El-Magd and pix by Amr Abdallah…

Hamas chief Mashaal gives peace negotiations 6 months, else will launch 3rd uprising
CAIRO, Egypt (AP) _ Hamas chief Khaled Mashaal said Saturday that the Palestinian Islamic militant group is willing to allow negotiations with Israel but warned of a new uprising if talks fail to reach a deal for a Palestinian state within six months.

The comments were double-edged: It was the strongest confirmation by the political chief that Hamas was willing to give moderate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas the chance to try to negotiate with Israel.
But it was also the first time that he has set such a deadline with an explicit threat of a new uprising.
“We give six months to open real political horizons … we agreed on the national accord to establish a Palestinian state, with the June 4, 1967 borders,” he said, referring to Israel’s borders before it seized the West Bank, east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip. “They have to seize this opportunity.”
He warned that if an agreement is not reached within that time, “Hamas will become stronger all resistance forces will become stronger … and will go on with a third uprising.”
Hours after Mashaal made his comments, Israel and all Palestinian factions agreed to a cease-fire in Gaza that would go into effect early Sunday, both Israeli President Ehud Olmert’s office and a spokesman for Abbas said.
Palestinian armed factions had agreed to stop their military activity in Gaza and reinstate a truce reached in Egypt in February 2005, and Olmert agreed, in turn, to halt Israeli military operations in the coastal strip, Abbas spokesman Nabil Abu Rdeneh said in Gaza City.
Israel began the military offensive in Gaza after Hamas militants captured an Israeli soldier in June. Militants recently had stepped attacks on Israel, firing rockets at communities just over the border.
Mashaal’s comments had suggested that Hamas would be willing to call a 6-month cease-fire for any talks and that the Islamic group would accept a two-state solution, though he stopped short of using that phrase or recognizing Israel. Any solution will have to deal with the issues of Jerusalem and the right of return for Palestinian refugees, where Israel staunchly rejects Palestinian demands.
Mashaal spoke after three days of talks with Egyptian officials who are mediating in an attempt to break the logjam in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process to allow a resumption of negotiations. Mashaal was to continue the talks, but did not say for how long.
But Mashaal suggested there was still no breakthrough on the two main issues: the formation of a new, national unity government with Hamas’s Palestinian rival Fatah and a deal for a prisoner swap for the release of the Israel soldier.
Abbas, of Fatah, has been trying to work out a package deal with Hamas that would a prisoner swap, a comprehensive cease-fire and the creation of a more moderate government of professionals to replace the one led by Hamas, which doesn’t recognize the Jewish state.
Mashaal said “great strides” had been made in negotiations over a new Palestinian government. But he said “more time” was needed and stuck to Hamas’ resistance to a Cabinet made up of technocrats rather than politicians from the two parties _ seen as a way to keep Hamas figures out of positions of influence.
“The issue is not a dispute over portfolios, it should be a Palestinian national unity government that represents Palestinian factions … it should be political government,” he said.
Hamas doesn’t want a government of professionals with absolutely no political affiliation. It wants ministers from its ranks but has agreed they would not be well-known, first-tier politicians.
Mashaal also blamed Israel for the failure to reach a deal for the release of Israeli Cpl. Gilad Shalit, who was kidnapped on June 25, in return for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
“We are not the reason behind postponing the decision; the postponing of a settlement is due to the other side,” Mashaal said of a prisoner swap deal. He did not elaborate on what was holding up an agreement.
He said the captive Shalit “is fine. He’s in good health,” adding with a smile, “He sends his regards.”
Abbas is hoping the comprehensive package will be the foundation for halting violence, launching new talks with Israel and lifting punishing economic sanctions imposed on the Palestinians since Hamas formed its government following an election landslide in January.
A top Abbas adviser, Ahmed Abdel Rahman, said Hamas has to accept a comprehensive deal, rather than trying to separately work out a government, a prisoner swap and an end to the economic embargo.
“Mashaal wanted to separate very connected things,” Abdel Rahman said. “We can’t separate the issue of the government from the siege or (a prisoner swap). … It’s not our condition but we are not in an independent state to decide what we want.”
The United States and other Western countries are demanding that Hamas recognize Israel and renounce violence as part of any national unity government, but Hamas has staunchly rejected those demands.