MPACUK Comment: Let this put a stop to all the Zionist nonsense about Hamas wanting to wipe out Israel. Hamas implicitly recognised the apartheid state in 2008 and before that competed and won in an election that was monitored by neutral observers who declared the election free and fair. Only,after the election did Israel and her proxies plot to collectively punish the Palestinians for making a democratic choice. Collective punishment is, of course, illegal under international law. Arming and secretly training Fatah members in Gaza (via Egypt) the Israelis encouraged a coup that was a partial success in dividing the political leadership between Gaza and the West Bank. Having illegally blockading and attacking the people of Gaza the Israelis are still portrayed as the peacemakers by many media outlets. It shouldn’t surprise anyone that this latest development is not widely applauded and highlighted in the press. It simply doesn’t fit the narrative they are trying to foster.

Hamas will not obstruct any political movement towards establishing a Palestinian state on 1967 borders, says its exiled leader, Khaled Meshaal.

At a press conference given at the end of Palestinian crisis talks in Egypt, Mr Meshaal said that the meeting had been important and fruitful.

Mr Meshaal reflected on President Obama's recent speeches on the Middle East calling his tone "encouraging".

He warned that "the main obstacle is what is happening in the West Bank".

Egypt has been hosting separate meetings with representatives of Hamas and Fatah to try and stem a growing crisis between the two factions.

Raids in the city of Qalqilya last week left nine people dead and put months of mediation work by Cairo in jeopardy.

On Sunday, Egyptian officials met leaders of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah group while Mr Meshaal met with Egypt's intelligence chief Omar Suleiman on Tuesday.

At the press conference that followed further talks with the leader of the Arab League, Amr Moussa, Mr Meshaal condemned the situation in the West Bank.

"The resistance is persecuted and incriminated, and mujahidin are being killed," he said.

But he said that at the talks Hamas and Egypt had agreed on steps to end this situation in order to reach reconciliation which he said had so far been hampered by foreign pressure.

The encouraging words of the new US administration on reaching a settlement needed to be translated into actions and, he said, Hamas now expected true pressure to be put on the Israelis.

Source : BBC