Hamas hails Obama's new Mideast language

The exiled leader of the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas hailed Sunday the "new lexicon" U.S. President Obama used in relation to the Middle East, adding that an official overture towards his movement is only a matter of time.

"A new language towards the region is coming from President Obama. The challenge for everybody is for this to be the prelude for a genuine change in U.S. and European policies,” Khaled Meshaal told Italian daily La Repubblica in an interview published Sunday.

The Syria-based leader predicted that an "official" opening of U.S. and EU channels for dialogue with Hamas, listed as a terrorist organization by the European Union since 2003, is now "only a matter of time."

A senior U.S. envoy said in Damascus earlier this month that Syria can be an important and constructive force in the Middle East, as Washington pursues a new policy of engaging with all countries in the region.

Influential player

Meshaal said Israel's 22-day offensive in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip in December and January had not dented Hamas's influence.

"The big powers need us to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Our weight in the Palestinian issue comes from us being rooted in the society, in the population, which voted for us and will do so again," he said.

The newspaper said Meshaal reacted to Obama's offer of better ties with Iran, Hamas's main backer along with Syria.

But in the interview, Meshaal made no direct reference to Obama's videotaped overture on Friday, nor to Iran's response.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Saturday Obama's offer of a "new beginning" between the two foes was just a "slogan," but pledged Tehran would respond to any real policy shift by Washington.

Meanwhile, Meshaal accused former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of moving the goalposts on a deal with Israel to free captured soldier Gilat Shalit.

Olmert on Tuesday blamed Hamas for the failure of Egyptian-brokered prisoner talks, saying Israel was prepared to release 320 of the 450 prisoners demanded by the group. Shalit reached 1,000 days in captivity on Saturday.

Our weight in the Palestinian issue comes from us being rooted in the society, in the population, which voted for us and will do so again

Khaled Meshaal, Hamas leader