RAMALLAH, August 24 (JMCC) - Israel's interior minister is refusing to reinstate Jerusalem residency rights to four Hamas officials, despite a deal brokered over the terms of the reinstatement.

Israel's Army Radio reported Tuesday morning that the Hamas leaders had agreed to sign a commitment not to take any position in the Palestinian Authority and swearing allegiance to Israel, in order to be allowed to remain in Jerusalem.

Nevertheless, Israel's interior minister Eli Shai was refusing to honor the terms of the deal.

The four, including three parliamentarians and a former minister in the government, were ordered to leave the city in June as punishment for their involvement with Hamas. One of the deportees, parliamentarian Muhammed Abu Tir, was arrested for refusing to honor the order and is being tried by the Israeli courts.

The other three have since sought shelter at International Committee for the Red Cross offices in Jerusalem.