Hamas leader denounces Abbas peace ads

The leader of the militant Palestinian group Hamas has denounced Hebrew-language newspaper ads published by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Israeli papers. Khaled Mashaal says Palestinian rights can only be regained through resistance, not advertisements.

In Sunday's speech in Damascus, Mashaal criticized continued contact between Abbas and Israeli leadership despite ongoing Israeli "crimes" in Gaza and settlement building in the West Bank. The full-page ads published by Abbas in three Hebrew-language newspapers this week explained to Israelis that a withdrawal from Palestinian territories would bring full recognition by the Arab world. (AP)