Special report: Israel-Palestine conflicts

    RAMALLAH, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) confirmed on Tuesday that the ruling Hamas movement has accepted a temporary draft peace deal with Israel.

    Saleh Ra'fat, member of the PLO's executive committee, said that Hamas has agreed to the plan and Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haneya had presented it to Arab officials during his last two regional tours.

    But he expressed his rejection to the plan that was jointly outlined by Ahmed Yousef, an advisor for Haneya, and European mediators, adding that "President Mahmoud Abbas also opposes the document."

    According to Ra'fat, Hamas rejected the peace plan initially, saying it was "plain European ideas and visions." But it showed flexibility a few days later as the arguments on the plan mounted.

    Hamas, sworn to destruction of Israel, swept Fatah movement led by Abbas in last January elections, and thus took office in March.

    However, the fledging Hamas-led government has been plagued by dual crises of economy and politics due to the aid cutoff and isolation by the West as the Islamic movement refuses to recognize Israel and renounce violence.