Middle East News
Hamas leader Haniya accuses Europe of inaction on 'massacres'
Feb 8, 2008, 19:43 GMT
Gaza, 8 Feb.(AKI) - Ismail Haniya, the Hamas political leader in the Gaza Strip, has accused Europe of ignoring what he termed Israeli 'massacres' of Palestinians.
'I am disappointed that Europe continues to go under the protective veil of the United States and remain silent in light of Israel's massacres (of the Palestinian people),' he said in an interview with Adnkronos International (AKI) on Friday.
'There are some European countries with whom we have good relations, but I would like them to play a more important role in the Middle East crisis', he added.
'We are ready to establish dialogue with them, but they have become closer to our enemy, since we were elected in 2006, and they use the same measure of assessment as the Americans do.'
The US and Israel were shocked when Hamas swept to victory in parliamentary elections in January 2006 and they repeatedly stated that they would not work with a Palestinian Authority (PA) that included Hamas, which wants Israel replaced by an Islamic state in all of historic Palestine.
Hamas, whose military wing has carried out thousands of armed attacks against Israeli soldiers and civilians, is branded a terrorist organisation by the European Union, Israel and the US and it is subject to a western diplomatic boycott after it refused to change its charter to renounce violence and accept Israel's right to exist.
Haniya is a former prime minister of the Palestinian Authority and was dismissed from office by current president Mahmoud Abbas, after Hamas militants routed forces loyal to Abbas and seized full control of the Gaza Strip in five day of savage fighting in mid-June last year.
Referring to the ongoing conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians, Haniya justified the launch of Qassam rockets against Israeli targets, calling it a response to Israeli raids in Gaza.
Although Israel pulled its settlers and soldiers out the Gaza Strip in August and September 2005, its troops make regular incursions into the salient, and its aircraft launch repeated strikes, in what the Israeli military say are raids aimed at thwarting the rocket fire.
On Friday Palestinian militants fired at least 20 Qassam rockets at southern Israel, mainly at the Negev desert and the city of Sderot, which lies around two kilometre east of the salient.
The attacks came a day after Israel cut back its supply of electricity to the Gaza Strip, in response to a barrage of Qassam rockets launched by Palestinian militants.
The leader of the Islamist movement also spoke about a potential truce with Israel.
'There is a big difference between a temporary truce, and a long- term truce,' Haniya said.
'For the first, we need an end to the raids and the (economic) embargo, while for the second, we need an end to the occupation of Palestinian territories and the liberation of all jailed Palestinians.'
However, Haniya rejected a proposal from Abbas to reach a truce with Israel after the recent Gaza raids, branding it as a 'provocation against the Palestinian people'.
With regard to the possibility of early elections in the Palestinian territories, the Hamas leader said that 'we are in favour of early elections, but we think it is wrong for the PA to make it a necessary condition for dialogue with Hamas.'
'When they (PA) do not put any conditions, they will find we are always available.'
During a meeting with Egyptian president Hosny Mubarak at the end of January 2008, Abbas reiterated the Palestinian Authority's willingness for dialogue with Hamas but refused to negotiate until Hamas ended its takeover of Gaza, which Abbas has called a 'coup.'
Regarding the border crisis in Rafah, where Hamas gunmen blasted huge gaps in the concrete and metal fence on January 23, allowing hundreds of thousands of Gazans to pour into Egypt, Haniya said he did not consider recent talks Hamas held in on the issue in Cairo as a failure, and that there is still a chance for an agreement with Egypt.
Haniya also spoke about the situation of abducted Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, who was snatched in a cross-border raid launched from the Strip on June 25, 2006, saying there has not been any progress on his liberation.
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Older Talkback
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This is the funniest thing I have ever read. The Hamas is claiming that they have been the victim of massacres?? Hold on I am laughing so hard I can not type ....This is really funny...
Ahh I got my composure.
Don't make me laugh OK..
So let me see. The Hamas shoots rockets into Israel, Israel kills the militants that fired these rockets and that is called a massacre?
I am curious what did Hamas do to innocent Palestinians last summer when they were initiating a coup?? I suppose they were kissing the Fatah that werekilled???...Oh brother what a bunch this Hamas is..
There you go again making me laugh.
HahahahHehehehe.
You may not know me now, but with the American Express Black card doors open for me all around the world. Take the time I traveled with my boy friend Larry to all the fab places in Europe. I so adore the boylesque shows in Hamburg Ya ya ya> Ser Gut babe.
I even purcased several big guns for my other boy friend Mohammad. Oh life is so tough sometimes. I just can't decided between these two. What's a Hamas leader to do???
One day I will have a Swiss bank account bigger than Arafats. Bank on it baby.
Bye Bye.
What a joke, ham-arse (i-ran's thugs) is a pathetic.
Ham-arse should be hunted down and wiped out alog with the other freaks of nature (hez-blagh-blagh).
Treat them like the disease that they are, cancerous parasites.
Hopefully we will see this this happen sooner than later.
Oh so now these buugers are saying that it is our fault. Blime what a farse the Hamasses are. The real crime is to the people that support these good for nothing freeloaders. My step-fathr told me to go out and get a job.So I say to these Hamas buggers the same, go out and get a job and build your own infrastricture. NO ONE IS INTITLED not even these buggers.
We oblige ourselves to help them. You don't like it, I know but we don't care. One day we will make you to feel the same fear you cause in the hearts of Palestinian children.
One day(soon hopefully) you lot will pay for your terrorist crap in the form of big bombs.
And guess what 'we don't care either'.
Back to the stone age your loser leaders so much desire.
Unleash Israel to wipe out these hinderances on the world.
What bravery these Gaza militants have...No????
Shooting rockets into innocent towns and villages, is the definaition of Hamas bravery. These criminals should win the Hamas Medal of Honor. Something to brag about to the grandchildren..... Surely this will win them an EU commendation, not to mention a Nobel Prize for peace. Yet Israel is condemned for attacking these cowards after they have fired these rockets?? When these cowards are finally hunted down and killed or wounded it is called a massacre? What do you call the attempted deaths of innocent children and women in Israel?? A victory?? Thankfully these 'Gaza heroes' have really bad aim.Being a failed people they can not even succeed in aiming rockets correctly.
Another thought….. Does anybody see something wrong with the above reaction by the EU, and the UN??? Why are not these Hamas condemned in the world body?
One more thought. What would Iran do if somebody from Israel shot rockets into their villages???
It is no longer acceptable that a para military group which is hearlded by Gaza not represent that country in actions. Therefor these rocket attacks are true acts of war and there should be a harse retribution. Finally if the Hamas are waging a war. Tell me why Israel should supply them with energy? Much of it free.Does South Korea supply the North with food and power?
'We oblige ourselves to help them.'
Yeah, how is that working for them, and you? Not too well, idiot.
'One day we will make you to feel the same fear you cause in the hearts of Palestinian children.'
You are a little nobody, hiding in the west because you were able to escape the thugs whop are destroying Iran right now. If you had the guts to actually live there I might be intimidated, but since you are such a cowardly little sh*t, I am not concerned.
Hi again I am Iranian. I like boys more than girls. The Koran says that I should like sheep more than boys BUT I CAN NOT HELP IT I AM A BOY TOY> So there I am out of the closet now, although my tent does not have what you would call a closet. Oh well I am technically out of the tent now....
Somebody recently mentined several things about my culture which is probably why I have turned so gay...
Some Little fact yet unknown about Islamic culture:
Reason one faces east during prayers???
Anyone know…….don’t be shy………..
O.k. ,,O.K….
Have you ever heard of the western winds???
They blow from the west to the east, so when you are praying towards the east a wind is coming from behind and the body odor from the guy in front of you does not fly into your face.
Reason why one almost waves up and down when praying???
Come on this is an easy one…
Any takers??
O.K.
When the westward wind is not blowing or it is the summertime and baths are taken regularly, one must fan the odor away from ones face.
Reason why women wear rags on their face?
This is because if you saw the teeth on the average women you would gasp in shock. One thing I was told that there is a great shortage of dentist in the Muslim world. Also tooth decay is so bad that the breath coming from these women is truly revolting. One once said that the smell from a backside of a camel is much more preferred buy Muslim men.
More little known facts later. Tomorrow we will examine the Islamic men’s love affair with sheep and camels…………
This is how a true zionist speaks. You have learned pretty good from Natzi Germany. The way you have been doing during the last 60 years shows how much you deserved it. Dig deeper and make people to hate you more. That's how things started the first time.
Amazing, Iranian finds a way to blame the Jews again. I guess anyone who posts anything stupid must be a zionist in Iranian's eye's, how pathetic, especially since Iranian's statements usually border on the moronic, fuelled by hate and lies, I guess he is a zionist too.
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SP4: Yes, of courseFeb 8th, 2008 - 22:18:08
...because we are supposed to give credibility to a governing body who cannot seem to manage the release of one Israeli soldier......
What does this tell you about who is, supposedly, in charge....?
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