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Hamas chief Meshal.
 (Reuters)
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Last update - 15:45 23/01/2010
Lebanon demonstrators hurl stones at Egypt embassy over planned Gaza barrier
By Reuters
Tags: Israel News, Israel Hamas 
 

At least three people were injured Saturday when Lebanese police clashed with stone-throwing demonstrators protesting against Egypt's decision to build a wall with Gaza to cut tunnel smuggling.

Witnesses said riot police clashed with the protesters when they tried to push against a barbed wire placed on a road leading to the Egyptian embassy.

The protestors started throwing stones and lemons. In response the police to fire tear gas bombs to disperse the protestors.
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As a result three people were slightly hurt, police said.

Israel and Egypt maintain a blockade on Gaza, which has been ruled by Hamas since it won in 2007 a brief civil war against supporters of Western-backed President Mahmoud Abbas's more secular Fatah faction.

According to various reports, Egypt began last month to build a deep metal wall along its border. When it is finished the wall will be 10-11km long and will extend 18 metres below the surface.

Unconfirmed reports have also indicated that American army engineers are helping the Egyptians to build the wall, and it will take 18 months to be completed.

On Friday, Hamas leader Khaled Meshal, addressing a rally in the Syrian capital to mark the end of the Israeli attack on Gaza a year ago, dencounced Egypt's plan tob build an underground barrier along its Gaza border, saying that "triumphant Gaza today is still wounded. Its houses are still destroyed. It's still under siege and its borders are still closed. Add to this the new steel wall."

The Hamas leader also said that the organiztion would not recognize Israel despite new pressures on the group and will give priority to building resistance to the Jewish state.

Meshal said Hamas does not want another war with Israel but it will stick to armed struggle as a means to liberate occupied land.

"Today we do not seek war but if war is imposed on us we will fight fiercely," Meshal said.

"Hamas will keep rejecting the occupation and refuse to recognize the legitimacy of the Zionist entity. Priority will remain building and developing the resistance," said Meshal, who lives in Syria along with other Hamas leaders in exile.

"Pressure, siege, temptations and opening doors or communication channels will not fool Hamas, which will not compromise on the rights. Hamas will be only tempted by restoring the land," Meshal said.

Meshal was referring to increased contacts between Hamas and Western delegations since the Gaza war, including a meeting with a U.S. group that included Jack Matlock, a former American ambassador in Moscow.

Israel said it attacked Gaza to end rocket launches by Hamas fighters into Israel. The invasion killed more than 1,400 Palestinians, mostly civilians. Thirteen Israelis were killed.

Hamas, which is backed by Syria and Iran, last week urged Palestinian groups in Gaza allied to it to observe what amounted to a ceasefire that ended the Israeli attack on the strip a year ago after its allies fired rockets into Israel and Israeli air strikes killed several Palestinians.

Hamas also opposes Abbas's approach to peace with Israel, although Abbas broke off peace talks with Israel during the Israeli invasion of Gaza and a U.S. drive to resume the talks since has failed.

Meshal said reconciliation with Abbas was needed to strengthen the Palestinian cause but he made no new proposals on how to do so after Egyptian efforts to bring about agreement between the two sides foundered.

Islamists founded Hamas in the 1980s. The group refuses to recognize Israel in defiance of international demands.

Hamas has offered Israel a decades-long truce if Israel withdraws from the Palestinian territories it occupied in the 1967 Middle East War and recognized what Hamas considers as the Palestinian refugees right of return
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  1.   Hamas 01:49  |  farmer 23/01/10
  2.   hamas 01:52  |  cheryl 23/01/10
  3.   Gee thanks Hamas for the offer ... 02:03  |  Aussie Michael 23/01/10
  4.   Meshal lives the life of luxury in Damascus 02:45  |  Arnold 23/01/10
  5.   All a lost cause 04:45  |  David R. 23/01/10
  6.   hamas and meshal doesn`t represent all palestians 04:49  |  abdalla 23/01/10
  7.   My faithful followers, the people of Gaza ... 05:02  |  Jasper 23/01/10
  8.   Undeniable proof: The Palestinians wrecked Land-for-Peace process 05:13  |  Dr. L. Brnd 23/01/10
  9.   Hamas has same stance towards Shalit 06:05  |  Arnold 23/01/10
  10.   What Hamas, Really, Really Wants 07:39  |  Brad 23/01/10
  11.   Abdallah 07:44  |  Brad 23/01/10
  12.   Meshal prefers "resistance" to peace 07:49  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 23/01/10
  13.   Meanwhile the "Zionist entity" paves over the West Bank 08:14  |  Paul Freedman 23/01/10
  14.   Today, Hamas doesn`t even represent 1/3 of the Palestinians 09:58  |  WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot 23/01/10
  15.   Reuters say "Gaza has been ruled by Hamas since 2007" 10:34  |  Joseph .E 23/01/10
  16.   Meshal... is in no position to make any demands 11:06  |  allang 23/01/10
  17.   Correction Bravo # 8 Dr. L. Brnd 11:54  |  petra 23/01/10
  18.   Hamas-pocricy 12:19  |  Ishai 23/01/10
  19.   Hamas makes itself irrelevant 12:27  |  US CITIZEN 23/01/10
  20.   Tell us what we dont know 13:01  |  Jo 23/01/10
  21.   Hamas with its Mickey Mouse firework called "rockets" 16:13  |  Tony Silver 23/01/10
  22.   THE TRUTH 16:14  |  Mark from Georgia 23/01/10
  23.   Israel is not an `entity` or a piece of cake ! 16:30  |  Akram Zekaria 23/01/10
  24.   Wars: Israeli type and palestinian type 18:45  |  JUDGE 23/01/10
  25.   Time to bring democracy in Egypt 19:02  |  Kaska 23/01/10
  26.   Kaska,even after Mubarak your pal hubby won`t be welcomed in Egyp 19:32  |  Absolute Sweden 23/01/10
  27.   Recognize Israel? 20:16  |  JT 23/01/10
  28.   Tony Silver`s feelings hurt 20:42  |  Rory 23/01/10
  29.   JUDGE?? 20:45  |  Rory 23/01/10
  30.   Tony Silver should realize 21:41  |  Jackie 23/01/10
  31.   Examples of "we will fight fiercely," Meshal said. 22:50  |  Joseph .E 23/01/10
  32.   Hezbanon `collective punishment` against Egypt Embassy 22:57  |  Joseph .E 23/01/10
  33.   Where is the gratitude? 00:08  |  Patrick 24/01/10
  34.   #23 there`s one problem with your rant, akram 03:50  |  eric 24/01/10
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