Zahar says Euro-American veto froze inter-Palestinian dialog

[ 05/07/2008 - 03:21 PM ]

GAZA, (PIC)--

MP Dr. Mahmoud Al-Zahar, one of the prominent Hamas leaders in Gaza Strip, has charged that the inter-Palestinian dialog had returned to square one due to the Euro-American veto against initiating such dialog.

Zahar, in an interview with Saudi daily Al-Watan published on Saturday, said that the Berlin conference revealed the presence of a Euro-American veto against internal Palestinian dialogue that would not be preceded by Hamas and other factions' recognition of the international quartet committee's conditions.

He pointed out that Hamas and other factions refused the conditions.

Zahar held the western world responsible for the absence of the Palestinian dialog, and accused it of blatant intervention in essentially internal Palestinian issues in service of Israel's interest.

The Hamas leader further pointed to the absence of a united Fatah position towards many issues, which he said obstructed reaching an agreement with it or preserving an agreement if ever reached.

Hamas: Abbas is no longer concerned about national consensus

[ 05/07/2008 - 04:13 PM ]

GAZA, (PIC)--

The Hamas Movement strongly castigated Saturday PA chief Mahmoud Abbas, saying that he is no longer concerned about the Palestinian public opinion and the national consensus, and wants only to protect his personal interests at the expense of the higher interests of the Palestinian people.

Commenting on the upcoming PA-Israeli talks in US, Fawzi Barhoum, a Hamas spokesman, said in an exclusive statement to the PIC that Abbas is insistent on attending meetings with Israelis despite the ongoing settlement activities, the construction of the apartheid wall, the judaization of occupied Jerusalem, the crimes and violations committed daily by the IOF troops and above all his admission that the negotiations are useless.

Barhoum also commented on Israeli president Shimon Peres's description of Abbas as "lacking legitimacy and authoritatively weak" by saying: "This brings us back to the scenario of eliminating late president Yasser Arafat who was negotiating with the occupation over many years, but when they (Israelis) felt that he was not getting along with their decisions and dictates, they openly declared that there was no peace partner." 

The spokesman pointed out that Peres's statements confirmed that the Israeli leadership wants a policeman to guard the occupation and to rule the Palestinian people with an iron fist.

In a recent online opinion poll conducted on the PIC website about whether the security coordination between the PA and Israel serves the Zionist interests or not, 88.98 percent of 7,687 participants voted that such collaboration is in favor of the Zionist interests.