Morning:
6°c
Hamas militants: We’ll derail Palestinian peace progress
3 Sep 2010Hamas, the militant Islamic Palestinian group, rejected progress in the Washington peace talks, saying its resistance to a deal with Israel is “continuous”.
“These talks are not legitimate because the Palestinian people did not give any mandate to Mahmoud Abbas [the Palestinian president] and his team to negotiate on behalf of our people,” said Sami Abu Zuhri, a spokesman.
“Therefore, any result and outcome of these talks does not commit us and does not commit our people, it only commits Abbas himself.”
The Palestinians are divided by a bitter feud between Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, and the more-moderate Fatah, to which Mr Abbas belongs.
Hamas killed four Israelis and wounded two more on the West Bank this week.
“The attacks were meant to tell Abbas he is not the one who decides the fate of the Palestinians,” said Ahmed Yousef, a senior Hamas official in Gaza, adding that the group deserves a role in decision-making because it won parliamentary elections in 2006.
“Hamas will never agree to be ignored and isolated, and it can reshuffle the cards,” he said.
The summit between Mr Abbas and Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu made modest progress, with the two men agreeing to regular meetings to try to achieve peace within a year.
They are expected to next meet on September 14 in Egypt, probably at the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheik, with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. She said the Obama administration has no illusions about a quick breakthrough.
“We've been here before, and we know how difficult the road ahead will be,” she said. “There undoubtedly will be obstacles and setbacks. Those who oppose the cause of peace will try in every way possible to sabotage this process, as we have already seen this week.”
Mr Abbas and Mr Netanyahu are deeply divided on the borders of a Palestinian state, the fate of millions of Palestinian refugees and the competing claims to the holy city of Jerusalem.
Hamas firmly controls the Gaza Strip, one of the two territories that would form part of a future Palestinian state, and wields virtual veto power over any agreement.
When Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005, Hamas stepped up rocket attacks on southern Israel. After the 2006 election, a unity government formed with Mr Abbas's Fatah movement collapsed into civil war, resulting in Hamas's takeover of Gaza the next year.
Reader views (3)
Where are all of those who were tripping over themselves spewing their hate for the Israelis' in their fight against the Hamas? It would be amusing, in a sad way, to hear what rationalisations they can come out with over this latest provocation by a group dedicated to the destruction of the nation of Israel.
- Rogan, Irving, 03/09/2010 21:11
Report abuse
HAMAS is an acronym for Hatred And Murder And Suicide.
- Adam, Harrow, uk, 03/09/2010 14:09
Report abuse
Gaza got exactly what they voted for.
- Frank, Home Counties, England., 03/09/2010 13:32
Report abuse
