Monday, February 25, 2008

Hamas says Abbas not to represent Palestinian people

China View, Feb. 25, 2008

GAZA, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- The spokesman of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) Ayman Taha said Monday that President of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) Mahmoud Abbas doesn't represent all the Palestinian people.

The spokesman told reporters in Gaza that "Abbas will only represent Ramallah, if a peace settlement is reached with Israel. We are certain that there will be no (peaceful) settlement (with Israel) amid the status of division that the Palestinians have now."

Hamas, which has been controlling Gaza since June last year, is not joining the peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. "In this case Abbas doesn't represent all the Palestinian people," added Taha.

He stressed that the only exit out of the current Palestinian crisis "is through confronting the Israeli occupation, resisting it and ending the status of internal division, but not through (a peaceful) settlement (with Israel)."

However, Abbas and his Fatah movement, the major rival for Hamas, accused Hamas movement after it seized the Gaza Strip for trying to isolate Gaza from the rest of the occupied Palestinian territories.

"The Gaza Strip can never be part of any future (peaceful) settlement Abbas would reach (with Israel) because he doesn't control Gaza anymore," said Taha. He also said his movement favors a mutual cease-fire with Israel.

"We are in favor of any imitative or any effort exerted to serve the highest interests of the Palestinian people and the Palestinian cause. We in Hamas will not be an obstacle to this effort," said Taha.

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