Breaking: Hamas accepts formation of Palestinian state along 1967 borders

Hamas has presented a new political document that accepts the formation of a Palestinian state along the 1967 borders, without recognizing the state of Israel, and argues that the conflict in Palestine is not a religious one.

The position was made official on Monday in Qatar's capital, Doha, by Khaled Meshaal, the leader-in-exile of the Palestinian group that runs the besieged Gaza Strip.

"Without compromising its rejection of the Zionist entity and without relinquishing any Palestinian rights, Hamas considers the establishment of a fully sovereign and independent Palestinian state, with Jerusalem as its capital along the lines of the 4th of June 1967, with the return of the refugees and the displaced to their homes from which they were expelled, to be a formula of national consensus," the document reads.

The announcement of the new charter was originally scheduled for 1545 GMT but was delayed by two hours because the hotel where the event was to take place backed out of hosting it at the last minute, Hamas said in a statement.

It was also to be broadcast live in the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian enclave run by Hamas.

One Hamas leader, Ahmed Yusef, has told AFP the updated charter was "more moderate, more measured and would help protect us against accusations of racism, anti-Semitism and breaches of international law."

It will "differentiate between Jews as a religious community on the one hand, and the occupation and Zionist entity on the other," he said.

It will also distance itself from the Muslim Brotherhood, to which it was closely linked when formed.

Israel was not convinced, however, with a spokesman for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying "Hamas is attempting to fool the world but it will not succeed."

"They dig terror tunnels and have launched thousands upon thousands of missiles at Israeli civilians," David Keyes said in a statement, referring to rockets fired from Gaza and tunnels used to carry out attacks.

Israel and Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip have fought three wars since 2008.

The strip has been under an Israeli blockade for ten years.

UN officials have called for this to be lifted, citing deteriorating humanitarian conditions. Israel says it is needed to stop Hamas from obtaining weapons or materials.

Hamas remains deeply divided from Fatah, the party of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas based in the occupied West Bank.

Hamas's announcement comes ahead of Abbas's first face-to-face meeting with US President Donald Trump in Washington on Wednesday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday slammed Palestinian funding of anti-Israel attacks, asking Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas: “How can you talk about peace and fund terrorism?”

Netanyahu, speaking on Israel’s Memorial Day during a service for terrorism victims, urged Abbas to “stop funding terrorism.”

“Cancel the payments to murderers, annul the law that requires payments to murderers,” he said. “Fund peace, not murder.”

The comments came just hours before Palestinian terror group Hamas tried to soften some of its more extreme policies detailed in a new policy document to be issued Monday, Gulf Arab sources said.