Abu Zuhri: negotiations lack legitimacy and Abbas has no mandate

The Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas has emphasized that the President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, “has no right to negotiate on behalf of the Palestinian people, or to claim that he represents them,” arguing that any possible outcome of these negotiations “does not commit the Palestinian people in any way.”

In a press conference held on Thursday morning in Gaza with the spokesperson of Hamas, Fawzi Barhom, Dr Sami Abu Zuhri said that: “The negotiations in Washington have no legitimacy as they have been rejected by the Palestinian people. Moreover, any Arab or international cover is of no value as long as these negotiations do not have any national Palestinian cover.”

---

He commented that his movement, along with the Palestinian people are following the current preparations for the resumption of negotiations between the Authority and the Israeli occupation in Washington and asserted that the fervent U.S. endorsement of these negotiations were an effort to give them some sort of formal seal of approval to “cover its blemish in the light of the negotiations’ rejection by the Palestinian, Arab and Muslim streets.” Abu Zuhri reminded those Arabs or Palestinians who contemplate accepting the negotiations that they are being conducted under the most humiliating conditions.

The spokesperson for Hamas insisted that the movement would continue to rally the forces and efforts of the Palestinian, Arab and Islamic nations in the face of what he called “the conspiracy against the Palestinian cause.” He said that Hamas would not condone any “plot against the rights of Palestinians and their national principles.”