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Al-Zahar: Reconciliation will not change Hamas' stands

May 4, 2014 at 11:52 am

The reconciliation agreement between Hamas and Fatah will not lead Hamas to recognise Israel’s right to exist or for armed groups to be controlled by Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas, Hamas’ senior leader Mahmoud Al-Zahar said yesterday.


Al-Zahar said that his movement is waiting for Abbas to form the national coalition government, as per their agreement. He said Abbas is moving slowly because he is trying to overcome the US and Israel’s objections.

The senior Hamas leader said that the failure of the US brokered peace talks between Abbas and Israel pushed Abbas to reconcile with Hamas.

He said Hamas had suggested names for the government, but expected Abbas would take a long time to finish his duties because of US and Israeli pressure. Abbas is still worried about the US and Israeli threats regarding donations worth millions of dollars, he explained.

Abbas said that the government he is expected to lead would recognise Israel and continue security cooperation with it however Al-Zahar said the government would not have a political agenda “because it is transitional”.

Regarding the armed resistance groups, Al-Zahar said: “No one will touch Hamas fighters or the fighters of any faction. The government will be transitional and so it will not have the power or authority to do so. We signed the agreement in order to protect our people from the Israeli occupation.”

Al-Zahar said the situation in Egypt “is disastrous”. He said Hamas is working to restore relations with Iran which were strained following the movement’s support for the Syrian regime during the current unrest.