Tens of thousands of Hamas supporters took to the streets Friday in a
non violent rally to condemn the state of Israel and confirm their
refusal to recognize its right to exist.
Hamas lawmaker Mushir Al-Masri lead the rally, calling on God to
punish Israel and its supporters as well as those who asked the party
to recognize Israel, including Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s
Fatah party. Al-Masri, speaking for the people, said they would die
before they recognized Israel.
Al-Masri’s words confirmed the recent statements made by Hamas leaders that Hamas would not recognize the state of Israel. Recognition of Israel has been the Quartet’s chief demand for Hamas and Hamas’s refusal to recognize Israel has been the chief setback in Abbas’s attempts to form a unity government between his Fatah party and Hamas.
"The protest aims to stress our rejection to recognize the legitimacy of the occupation," Masri said. Hamas does not believe Israel has a right to live on any part of historic Palestine.
Sourced from Haaretz Online
