Senior Hamas leader: Interim Palestinian government not able to work on peace with Israel
Mahmoud Zahar says the program 'does not include negotiations with Israel or recognizing it.'; Israel says accord reached between Hamas and Fatah would not secure peace in Mideast.
Mahmoud Zahar, a senior Hamas leader who participated in the reconciliation talks between Fatah and Hamas, said on Wednesday that the interim Palestinian government would not be able to work on peace negotiations with Israel.
Well, to borrow a phrase, that settles it.
UPDATE
Hamas: "No recognition - no negotiations"
Yesterday the Palestinian Authority Fatah movement and Hamas reached a reconciliation and unification agreement, even though Hamas did not agree to recognize Israel. Israel has condemned the PA saying they have to choose between peace with Israel and peace with Hamas.
The following are PA Fatah and Hamas reactions:
"...[Hamas leader] Mahmoud Azhar said that the political platform of Hamas is 'no recognition [of Israel] and no negotiations.' He said that he's sure that the disagreements between Hamas and Fatah regarding the peace process will not affect the functioning of the government that will be established by this agreement, because the purpose of this government is only to handle internal Palestinian issues...
A spokesman for President Abbas, Nabil Abu Rudena, said, 'In response to Netanyahu's statements, we say that the Palestinian reconciliation and the agreement that was signed today in Cairo are internal Palestinian issues."
[Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, April 28, 2011]
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1 comment:
Hamas is the stronger party... the PA has all but conceded defeat. A Palestinian government will simply be a fig leaf for Hamas even if it has Fatah ministers. There is going to be no question as to who is calling the shots - and the cumulative impact of yesterday's development will be to push the Palestinian Arabs in a more radical direction.
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