The ruling Hamas movement in Gaza reiterated Tuesday its opposition to meetings between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli prime minister, Ehud Olmert.Hamas’s spokesperson in Gaza, Fawzi Barhoum, cast doubts to concrete results out of such meetings, saying in a statement to press, that the meetings are only intended at bolstering Abbas’s position vis-Ã -vis Palestinian resistance groups, which reject recognition of Israel.
Barhoum’s remarks came few hours before the two leaders meet later today in the Jerusalem’s residence of Olmert.
The Hamas’s spokesman viewed Abbas’s repeated meetings with Olmert as ‘ a hegemony by Abbas over Palestinian politics, reinforcement of underway division of Palestinians as well as recognition of Israel as a ‘Jewish state’.
Barhoum also confirmed that such meetings happen to be held right after an Israeli crime whether in the Gaza Strip or the West Bank, in order to have such crimes covered.
In addition, the meetings, according to Barhoum, are meant to boost up Israel’s plans to undermine the Hamas movement and topple its rule once and for all, by employing every possible means.
Abbas-Olmert meeting on Tuesday, according to Palestinian officials, will deal with the stalled Palestinian-Israeli peace talks as well as the Israeli closure of the coastal region, where Hamas holds sway.
Hamas has shunned peace talks with Israel until the Hebrew state halts what Hamas calls ‘ aggression against the Palestinian people’, including halt of settlement activities on occupied Palestinian lands, easing movement restrictions in the West Bank and lifting the closure of Gaza.
