Special report: Palestine-Israel Relations

    GAZA, June 21 (Xinhua) -- A spokesman for Hamas on Saturday said negotiations with Israel is out of the question and the Islamic movement will never recognize "the enemy."

    The spokesman, Ismail Radwan, also slammed negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. "We are not thinking of trying the ridiculous negotiations that the others have tried but failed to remove a single checkpoint in West Bank," he said.

    Radwan added that "the Zionist enemy must depart and recognize the Palestinian people's rights."

    His remarks were made two days after Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said he was ready to compromise on making peace with the Palestinians and also with Syria.

    Hamas administrates the Gaza Strip since last June after it took over the territory by force, routing security forces loyal to President Mahmoud Abbas and ousting his Fatah movement.

    Hamas often slammed the negotiations between West Bank and Israel and called on Abbas to halt his biweekly meetings with Olmert.

    On Thursday, an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire between Hamas and Israel took hold in the Gaza Strip and is designated to last for six months.

    During the lull, Israel will halt its attacks in the Hamas-controlled area and ease economic sanctions in exchange for stopping Palestinian rocket attacks against southern Israel.