Hamas official highlights Syria's commitment to peace

Chairman of the Hamas movement's political bureau, Khaled Mishaal, said that Syria's adherence to its rights and rejection of Israeli compromises will push new Israeli prime Minister Ehud Barak to offer concessions and resume negotiations from the point at which they halted.

In a statement published on Tuesday in Beirut in the Lebanese daily al-Deyar, Mishaal expressed his conviction that Barak's winning of the Israeli elections may change the discussion method on all tracks, but it may not change the core problem -- particularly on the Palestinian issue.

He commended the stand of the Lebanese resistance, who forced occupation forces to pull back from Jezzine area.