By refusing to recognize Israel, Hamas does not accept Israel's existence and it does not indicate a willingness to embrace a two-state solution. Indeed, after President Carter's remarks, Hamas senior officials made that quite clear that they were not offering permanent peace to Israel in offering a 10-year hudna (truce, not peace) and citing the "transitional" nature of the arrangement in which Israel would be confined to pre-1967 war boundaries. Carter achieved no breakthroughs and no meaningful softening of Hamas' position.

Not surprisingly, public sentiment (at least as measured by Intrade.com's predictions market) with respect to Hamas' position vis-a-vis recognition of Israel shows that the public continues to view such an outcome as remote.