clear

Creating new perspectives since 2009

Hamas condemns US’ remarks against its meeting with Erdogan

August 26, 2020 at 2:26 pm

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) shakes hands with Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh (L) as they pose for a photo during their meeting at Vahdettin Pavilion in Istanbul, Turkey on 1 February 2020 [Murat Kula/Anadolu Agency]

The Palestinian Resistance Movement Hamas yesterday strongly condemned US remarks against its leaders’ meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Hamas spokesman Hazem Qasem said that such a position reflects the “bullying and terrorism” exercised by the US administration.

“Hamas is a national movement that is in a freedom struggle against the Israeli occupation and its terrorism,” he said.

“The Israeli leaders are the ones who must be designated as global terrorists and be isolated by the international community for criminal acts and atrocities perpetrated against the Palestinian people,” added Qasem.

Yesterday the State Department objected to a recent meeting in Istanbul between Erdogan and two leaders of Hamas, saying: “President Erdogan’s continued outreach to this terrorist organization only serves to isolate Turkey from the international community, harms the interests of the Palestinian people, and undercuts global efforts to prevent terrorist attacks launched from Gaza.”

The meeting, which took place Saturday, featured a Hamas delegation including chief of Hamas abroad Maher Salah, head of Hamas’ Arab and Islamic relations office Ezzat Al-Rishiq and Hamas representative in Turkey Jihad Yaghmor.

READ: Turkey is becoming a superpower