Hamas election propaganda
Photo: AP
Hamas supporters
Photo: AP
Hamas: Bush won't dictate to us
Group spokesman tells Ynet Palestinians back Hamas positions on resistance to occupation, says group does not accept dictates from America
United State President George W. Bush's insistence on disarming Hamas constitutes a "blatant interference in Palestinian affairs," Hamas spokesman Sheikh Yasser Mansour told Ynet in an interview Thursday morning.
Turning his attention to what is shaping up as an impressive Hamas election victory, the group spokesman said "this great triumph shows the Palestinian people very much support Hamas' diplomatic and politic plan."
"We completely reject and do not accept Bush's remarks regarding disarming us," Mansour said. "Nobody can force us to disarm."
PA Elections
Associated Press
In first response to initial results indicating strong showing by terror group in Palestinian parliamentary voting, U.S. President warns his country won't deal with Hamas until group renounces its desire to destroy Israel
"The nation supports our positions on all maters related to Palestinian resistance to the occupation and in all matters related to the diplomatic way we must follow," Mansour said, adding Palestinians also support the need to undertake serious changes in the day-to-day lives of residents.
"The nation chose the leadership and party that it believes can carry out that change," he said.
If you indeed won, it is unlikely you will remain out of government
"The matter of our participation in the government has not yet been decided, but we'll take a decision that is commensurate with the results and the desire to do everything to serve the Palestinian people in the best way possible."
Will we see Hamas Minister Yasser Mansour sitting with an Israeli counterpart tomorrow?
Mansour laughed and responded elegantly, while avoiding the issue of Hamas' calls for Israel's destruction: "It's too early to say, but Hamas will do everything to serve the Palestinian people and improve its condition. We'll discuss this issue just like all other issues, and at the end of the process the decision to be taken will be the one that serves the Palestinian people.
Will you disarm, as is expected of a governing party and as President Bush demanded tonight?
"The question of arms is related to the occupation and we do not accept dictates from Bush or from anyone else. The arms, like everything else, are at the service of the Palestinian people and we won't give in to this blatant interference from Bush, whose remarks are not new, and were always against the Palestinians and their interests."
