Abu Marzouk: Hamas will not recognise Israel

Hamas will not recognise Israel’s right to exist or the international Quartet’s terms, a top Hamas official said.

Deputy Head of Hamas political bureau Mousa Abu Marzouk told reporters Saturday: “We will not recognise and there is no room for us to recognise Israel.”

Answering an AFP reporter’s question, Abu Marzouk said: “The Palestinian factions have agreed to establish a temporary Palestinian state on lands occupied in 1967 with Jerusalem as its capital, without recognizing Israel.”

Abu Marzouk stressed that Hamas “refuses to accept the International Quartet’s terms because they diminish the Palestinian people’s rights”. “We reject and we will continue to reject any conditions that undermine the Palestinians’ rights. Hamas will remain faithful to the refugees’ right of return and to liberating Palestinian lands,” he said.

Abu Marzouk pointed out that the dialogue sessions between Hamas and the PLO over the years that led to signing the reconciliation agreement in Gaza last week “did not address al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas weapons,” adding that “no one has asked to discuss Hamas arms because they are weapons of national resistance.”

Abu Marzouk announced that Fatah movement’s envoy to the reconciliation Azzam al-Ahmad will arrive in Gaza either Sunday or Monday next week to begin consultations to form the consensus government, pointing out that the government has no political agenda but has specific tasks to fulfil.

He hinted that Hamas might run in the upcoming presidential election, saying: “Hamas has decided to participate in all political and union elections but did not decide on participating in the presidential elections, but we are most likely to participate.”

On the movement’s relations with Iran, Abu Marzouk said: “We will maintain a relationship based on the Islamic Republic’s position on Palestine and the resistance, and we will seek to maintain an excellent relationship.”

Regarding the movement’s strained relations with Egypt since the removal of the elected President Mohamed Morsi, Abu Marzouk said: “We respect the Egyptian people choice and we do not interfere in Egyptian affairs.”