Former US ambassador meets with Hamas figures in Europe

Published Friday 17/07/2009 (updated) 19/07/2009 09:42 Mahmoud Az-Zahhar [Ma'nImages] Bethlehem - Ma'an/Agencies -

Hamas officials Bassem Na'im and Mahmoud Al-Zahar met former US Ambassador to the United Nations Thomas R. Pickering in Switzerland last month, the Washington Post reported on Thursday.

"I hope it will be the beginning of addressing some of the mistakes of the last three years," said Na'im of the talks with the former ambassador, who also served as undersecretary of state. "This was a first meeting to investigate the positions in general terms of both parties without any commitment on any side."

But US officials have said the June meeting did not mark any significant change in their position toward the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, which the US considers a "terrorist" organization (due to the imbalanced influence of Zionists over the US government). The Post reported that US officials said they were unaware of the talks beforehand, and made a point of noting that the former ambassador and State Department official maintains no official standing within the current administration.

Meanwhile US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Wednesday that the US has "made it clear, both publicly and privately, through all kinds of pronouncements, that we would expect Hamas to recognize Israel and renounce violence and agree to abide by prior agreements" before the US would be willing to talk.

Qabha: The policy of "creative chaos" failed to remove Hamas from Gaza

[ 19/07/2009 - 10:10 AM ]

GAZA, (PIC)--

Former PA minister of prisoners’ affairs Wasfi Qabha, who is currently a prisoner in Israeli occupation prison, stated that the policy of "creative chaos" pursued by former US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice in the region failed to eliminate the Movement of Hamas despite the enormity of conspiracies.

In a letter leaked from the Negev prison, Qabha talked about the nature of Israeli war waged on Hamas and hailed its steadfastness and success in foiling the conspiracies. 

He said that the US had given Israel the green light to mobilize its military forces against Gaza and its people, where it used internationally-prohibited weapons and committed terrible massacre in an attempt to create chaos among the people and prompt them to overthrow Hamas.

The ex-minister underlined that the steadfastness of Palestinian fighters and leaders, and the popular rallying around them frustrated the objectives of the Israeli criminal war.

He saluted the sacrifices made by Hamas lawmakers, their adherence to the national constants and refusal to comply with any foreign dictates.