Carter: Hamas Will Accept Peace With Israel

Despite earning the wrath of the left and the right for meeting with Hamas, Jimmy Carter seems to have made some progress where others could not.

Jimmy Carter says Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal, and other senior members of the Islamic militant group he met with in Damascus have told him they are willing to accept a peace agreement negotiated by the moderate Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas - if the agreement is approved by Palestinians in a referendum.

"They said they would accept a Palestinian state under 1967 borders if approved by Palestinians," Mr. Carter said. "And they would accept the right of Israel to live as a neighbor next door in peace, provided the agreements negotiated by Prime Minister Olmert and President Abbas were submitted to the Palestinians for their overall approval - even though Hamas might disagree with some terms of the agreement."

Carter says that Hamas rejected his plea for a unilateral ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.