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Hamas: Obama does not represent change
By The Associated Press
Tags: Gaza Strip, Hamas 

Hamas says President Barack Obama's position toward the Palestinians does not represent change and will lead to the same mistakes as his predecessor.

Thursday's comments by Beirut-based Hamas spokesman Osama Hamdan follow Obama's first public comments on the Israeli-Palestinian crisis since his
inauguration.
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Hamdan tells Al-Jazeera television he expects Obama to experience failure in the region over the next four years if he sticks with his current position.

Obama said Thursday that going forward Hamas must end rocket fire at Israel, and Israel must complete the withdrawal of its forces from Gaza. Although those steps were taken this week, low-level violence has marred the fragile cease-fire that ended Israel's three week offensive in Gaza.

Meshal urges West to lift boycott on Gaza Strip
Damascus-based Hamas political leader Khaled Meshal urged the West on Wednesday to lift its boycott of the Islamist group that controls the Gaza Strip.

"I tell European nations...three years of trying to eliminate Hamas is enough. It is time for you to deal with Hamas, which has gained legitimacy through struggle," Meshal said in a televised speech from the Syrian capital.

The Hamas leader also urged Obama and European leaders to glean the "required lessons" from their countries' support for the "Israeli aggression."

Hamas calls for reconciliation with Fatah
Hamas called Thursday for reconciliation with supporters of rival Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas but insisted on pursuing resistance against Israel.

The condition appeared to preclude any agreement with Abbas, who seeks a peace deal with Israel and whose moderate Fatah faction was not among the groups that backed the statement by eight Damascus-based radical Palestinian factions including Hamas.

Earlier on Thursday, a senior Hamas official dismissed any reconciliation talks with rival Fatah group.

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      1.   Hamas, all you have to do is halt the rocket-attacks on Israel... 00:52  |  Swiss (Dino) 23/01/09
      2.   A Braindead Comment - It`s Hamas That Must Change! 01:06  |  Bill Foonman 23/01/09
      3.   Hamas Ho Hum 01:29  |  Jasper 23/01/09
      4.   You Are Being Ignored, Hamas 02:37  |  Jeff Northridge 23/01/09
      5.   The Arab Peace 03:17  |  utagawa 23/01/09
      6.   #3, hamas is definitely heading for 03:18  |  Gary 23/01/09
      7.   Mormons have it right 04:26  |  Sabra 23/01/09
      8.   Hamas are mentally ill, irrational fundamentalists 04:56  |  James Spade 23/01/09
      9.   Hamas Is Old News 05:20  |  Baruch Gold 23/01/09
      10.   To #1 Swiss (Dino) 05:25  |  Bob 23/01/09
      11.   I think Hamas will take revenge! Watch out ! 05:30  |  Maria 23/01/09
      12.   Obama`s change 05:36  |  spade 23/01/09
      13.   Hamas is upset as they want to continue BS 06:18  |  Abuya 23/01/09
      14.   To Swiss 09:36  |  Jamie 23/01/09
      15.   Hamas has harmed itself and Palestinians by violence 10:25  |  Ivar 23/01/09
      16.   Mishaal dreams and lies 10:42  |  Steve the Pals. 23/01/09
      17.   To Sabra #7 `Mormons have it right` 10:47  |  Colin Wright 23/01/09
      18.   I must agree with Hamas this one time 10:54  |  Nechama 23/01/09
      19.   It is not about Hamas, It is settlements disfranchising Pals 11:00  |  American 23/01/09
      20.   Hamas / Change in US Approach? 11:06  |  Abu Dahdah 23/01/09
      21.   #1 Dino: That`s NOT all. If they want open borders they have to 11:22  |  GIVE BACK GILAD 23/01/09
      22.   welkom back Swiss (Dino) 11:34  |  Rani Habelgi 23/01/09
      23.   Long live the Palestinian people, Long Live Hamas 11:44  |  JH 23/01/09
      24.   piss-poor logic islamist 12:04  |  Akiva P 23/01/09
      25.   Americans will be in the streets if Obama doesn`t make changes.. 12:09  |  Dutch 23/01/09
      26.   pursuing resistance against israel 12:36  |  odles 23/01/09
      27.   Hamas are wrong - Obama will bring change! 13:34  |  Manny Goldstein 23/01/09
      28.   Planet Dutch 14:44  |  Klaatu 23/01/09
      29.   To Dutch #25 14:49  |  Bob 23/01/09
      30.   #23 Idiotic Rallying Cries 15:24  |  Bill Foonman 23/01/09
      31.   #23 JH. "Hamas represents the people". 15:41  |  John Allen 23/01/09
      32.   Change for Hamas: a Middle East without Israel 15:44  |  Olga 23/01/09
      33.   #25 Dutch 15:48  |  John Allen 23/01/09
      34.   Americans taking to the street : Dutch 16:41  |  KJJ 23/01/09
      35.   #18, 100% Correct 17:45  |  Gary 23/01/09
      36.   Swiss (Dino) #1 I thought you were for a 2 state solution 19:22  |  Gil 23/01/09
      37.   Swiss (Dino) #1 I thought you were for a 2 state solution 19:23  |  Gil 23/01/09
      38.   to #1 & #10 20:27  |  disagree 23/01/09
      39.   Hamas calls it "resistance" 23:32  |  Felix Goldstein 23/01/09
      40.   #23,Hamas is becoming extinct ,get over it ! 00:37  |  Gary 24/01/09
      41.   this is a big compliment for Obama 01:35  |  Scott 24/01/09
      42.   Hamaz does not speak for ordinary Palestinians and never has! 01:41  |  JV 24/01/09
      43.   Disagree: I disagree 02:16  |  Jasper 24/01/09
      44.   Hamas is right: Obama is no "change". Why? Because of Hamas! 03:17  |  S 24/01/09
      45.   Let us HOPE he doesn`t! 22:02  |  Maynard 24/01/09
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