Hamas: Direct Israeli-Palestinian talks illegitimate, coerced by U.S.
Hamas politburo chief urges Egypt's Mubarak and Jordan's King Abdullah not to take part in Washington-backed peace negotiations.
By The Associated Press Tags: Khaled Meshal Hamas Middle East peaceHamas' politburo chief Khaled Meshal said Tuesday that the upcoming U.S.-backed direct peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority are illegitimate and the result of coercion by Washington.
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Hamas' exiled political chief Khaled Meshal |
| Photo by: AP |
The talks were shelved two years ago, but the Obama administration is hoping for a breakthrough during the new rounds of negotiations set to begin Sept. 2.
"These negotiations are taking place by force of coercion and with an American summons," Meshal told reporters in Damascus, Syria on Tuesday.
He said the talks were illegitimate and "do not obligate our people to anything."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be negotiating with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who holds sway only in the West Bank, the territory between Israel and the Jordan River.
The Gaza Strip is ruled by the militant group Hamas, which refuses to recognize Israel.
Addressing officials belonging to Abbas' movement, Meshal said: "Wake up. Do not allow these adventures and sins to take place in your name."
Earlier this week, Netanyahu demanded that any future Palestinian state be demilitarized and recognize Israel as the Jewish homeland.
Obama plans to hold separate discussions with Netanyahu and Abbas on Sept. 1 and then host a dinner for both leaders, which will also be attended by Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak and Jordan's King Abdullah II.
Meshal called Mubarak and Abdullah not to take part, saying the negotiations could have catastrophic results for the region.
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what's wrong with his statement it's true
Its time the Arab world took a long hard look at itself. Thank goodness the talks are proceeding...co-erced by Washington or not...it's damn sure God has failed to have the peace talks occurr through a natural progression in the past so good on Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Hamas has its willie out of joint because if the talks bear fruit Hamas's natural ability to hate everybody will be undermined!
The true mark of a sucker... is someone who habitually does the same routine and expects different results. Haniyeh is exactly this kind of a fool. He says... negotiations are illegitimate and Palestinians will gain nothing from direct peace talks. And exactly what have Palestinians in Gaza gained from Haniyeh’s brainless leadership. Employment, prosperity and a better life. In his lollipop universe... you pray to Allah and life becomes fantastic. Isn’t retardation wonderful.
Wow ! We thought the beggar was Dead !?
If your enemy is unwilling to recognize your right to exist as a nation, if they make it their core objective to wipe you out until they have all of what you have, then why are you even showing enough mercy to this enemy by letting them exist long enough to fullfil their never ending commitment? This is what the world fails to realize. It's like the U.S. going to peace talks with Al Quida...
Fatah and Hamas need to acknowledge that Israel is their common foe and that they will put aside their differences for the sake of peace. The Palestiniansthen need an election, which hopefully, will wash Abbas out of any leadership role. America and Israel are obligated to deal with the chosen government of the Palestinian people regardless of whether they like him or not. This is the road to peace. The farce sponsored by Obama is just as Meshal describes.
Israel must speak to Hamas - Hamas is the representative of the Palestinians not Abbas
It would be similar to if Hamas and Meretz got together and agreed on peace terms. Israel would not accept Meretz' agreement because Meretz is not the recognized leadership of Israel. Abbas term expired long ago. The most recent elections were handily won by Hamas.
Mishal speaks the truth. It will on the United States to prove him wrong. Whats important is the United States reaction to an Israeli sabotage of the negotiations. This is it. No more green lights or looking the other way. If not we might as well call ourselves The United Tools of Israel.
True. If Israel and the USA want true peace between ALL of the Palestinian people and Israel, it MUST include Hamas in the negotiations. Otherwise there will not be a true and fair peace agreement. It will be a peace agreement that Abbas will be forced to accept because he is a coward who does not have the guts to stand up to Israel and the USA and to demand what the Palestinian people deserve and he has prooven that time and time again.
What's the point in the negotiations until Hamas is not eliminated? There can't be a Palestinian state until there is a guarantee it will not become a huge rocket launcher and terrorist incubator.
Peace is when there is no fighting and you can start focusing on making a life for your CHILDREN you idiots!!!
Is this the good cop (Fatah), bad cop (Hamas) ploy against Israel? In the US in the 60's, Martin Luther King and his passive resistance group (good) got credit for human rights advances but the Panthers and other bad groups put the fear of a race war in the white population. Hamas could prod both sides to come up with a peace plan. I believe Hamas has said they would accept the vote of the people.
Since Israel is illegitimate, the talks are illegitimate. What else would you expect them to say?
What peace can Palestinians offer when they are under Israeli occupation? Peace must come from Israel, dismantle all settlements, go back to the 1967 borders, without these any peace is just a pie in the sky.
How about not launching attacks against Israelis? Peace will come from the Palestinians when they finally accept an offer for a state of their own. If they keep holding out for 100% of the territories, they will never achieve a state. Why should the '67 borders be the borders? Just because Jordan and Egypt captured those territories, cleansed them of all Jews and held the land for 19 years? By demanding the '67 borders, "peace is just a pie in the sky." Try settling for 97-98% of the freaking territories, Jew-free.
Hamas is right, PA will only sell out like they always have done to the greedy occupier.
Jack, you need to get your nose out of the comic books and check your facts.
I believe Khaled Meshal is right on one issue: Abu Mazen doesn't have popular mandate of his people to conduct the negotiations with democratically elected government of Israel. It means that Abbas doesn't have any flexibility or right to do any compromize as it's part of any negotiations, same as Netanyahu has. I believe the Presidential elections should have taken place in PA before emraking on such crucial talks.
Can't say I disagree with Hamas on that one. And before y'all become squimish and stuff, please, notice that they're not even making a fuzz over the fact that Abbas is a puppet who only wants to sell the Palestinians down the river, albeit the fact that they have no legitimate standing in their government.
This one is too easy! Hamas is illegitimate. End of story.
Hmmm...no, I think you got that backwards, it is Abbas and his cabal that illegitimate. The fact that y'all don't Hamas is another story.
The last elections were 5 years, 8 months ago for a 4 year term for the PLC. New elections should have been held last January. Would Hamas have won? We'll never know. Meanwhile, presidential elections were 6 years, 8 months ago. Which means that Abbas legitimate term ended January 2009. Just to give you a sense of what that would mean in a Western country, it'd be like G. W. Bush still being President with no elections on the horizon. That being said, Abbas should negotiate a deal to be put to a referendum and voted on, up or down, directly by the Palestinian people. It should be a modular deal, so that the West Bank/E. Jerusalem can vote separately from Gaza, where organizing free and fair elections that could oust Hamas from absolute power is highly unlikely.
This one is too easy! Hamas is illegitimate. End of story.
Why can't the Hamas leaders just say:"it's time to sit down,talk and work out a comprimise"? Why is everything that's quoted says:"the US forced". What kind of leaders do they have? Aren't a government and its officials supposed to stand up and speak for the good of the people? Are they not supposed to ensure that their citizens have clean water,adequate shelter,medical care,enough to eat,someone to help them when they are old,sick and feeble,to educate the children,to ensure women's rights and health issues? I've yet to hear this. All I've heard is how they think we, Israeli's are "bad and need to be destroyed". Well then let's remind them,the next time they use a cell phone,it was invented in Israel Or the next time,they vaccinate their child,Dr. Salk a Jewish doctor invented it. But more importantly let us remember the lessons we are teaching the children of the world. Let us not be examples for what is wrong in the world,but for the good and the tolerance. And let it begin NOW.
15 years of negotiation has resulted in no peace, no self rule, lost more land, got more settlers, more arrests, unable even to visit Jerusalem, few hours on the road to visit my next door neighbor…. I can keep going….
Well, essentially, because it is. Abbas & Co. are a puppet of the US, what else would he be doing?
I can offer my answer. Hamas leaders do not need any peace. That's palestinian people would be glad to take a breathe, for the top it means less control, less world attention, less money and... and... G-d forbid, new ELECTION??? Complete Chutzpa!
Because Israel refuses to sit down with Hamas leaders. Blame this soley on Israel.
Yeah, peace could break out. What would hamas do then.
The question really is: "What would Israel do?" Imagine not being able to blame everything on Hamas, Hamas, Hamas. Not good, I'm telling ya, not good.
Mk Ultra, this may offend your senses, but if the arabs put down their arms, Israel would do the same. If Israel put down its arms, the arabs would simply attack Israel.