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Hamas head Khaled Mashaal
Photo: AP

Mashaal: Abbas leading us to doom

Parallel to Palestinian president's speech in Ramallah, in which he defended deferral of vote on Goldstone Report, Hamas head in Damascus Khaled Mashaal accuses Abbas of lying, 'taking bribes from the Americans'

Hamas politburo chief in Khaled Mashaal gave a special speech in Damascus in response to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Ramallah speech in which he defended the PA's conduct with regards to the Goldstone Report.

 

"The one who is expected to be the leader, is the one who is leading us to doom," Mashaal said.

 

The Hamas head accused the PA of "cooperating with Dayton (the American general who trained the security forces) against us, and is taking bribes from those that wish to force on us policies that harm the resistance in exchange for financial benefits for the Palestinians in the West Bank.

 

"This is a group that has not bothered to deny (Israeli Foreign Minister) Lieberman's words, when he said the PA asked to continue the war on Gaza. This is a group that cooperates with the crushing of the Palestinian resistance," he said.

 

Regarding the Goldstone Report of a UN-appointed inquiry commission on Operation Cast Lead in Gaza, the Hamas leader accused the Palestinian Authority of an "embarrassment" that led to the deferral of a vote on the report in the UN Security Council.

 

"They use the excuse that the report criticizes Hamas as well, we are used to this, but the ruling Palestinian group came to steer the report away from Israel – and today they are lying about it to their people. A brave leadership is one that tells the truth and admits its mistakes," he said.

 

'Abbas illegal president'

According to Mashaal, the Goldstone Report was the straw that broke the camel's back, and has forced him to reiterate the fact that Abbas is holding on to his seat in office illegally. "His term ended in January 2009," Mashaal said, after refraining from addressing the matter up until now "so as not to harm reconciliation efforts."

 

Now, Mashaal claims, "We cannot trust the current leadership with Gaza's blood, as it gives free service to the Israelis, persecutes the resistance and turns a blind eye to settlements.

 

"How can we believe that it will fight for Jerusalem and the right of return? This leadership must be prosecuted," he said, calling for the establishment of a new Palestinian leadership and the rebuilding of the Palestinian Liberation Organization.

 

"This is not a mistake, these are sins, this is an entire perception," he said.

 

Mashaal also criticized the administration of US President Barack Obama, and addressed his recent award of the Nobel Peace Prize: "If Obama won the Nobel because of his promises, then there are many in the world who are eligible for the award."

 

"The Obama government welcomed the war in Gaza, and is turning a blind eye to the settlements. Despite his promises to the Palestinians and the Arabs, he is supporting Israel, and he is the one who pressured the PA into withdrawing the Goldstone Report," he said.

 

After in the past expressing a relatively moderate stance compared to Hamas, and saying he would agree to a state in the 1967 borders, Mashaal retreated to a hawkish stance.

 

"After the Arabs offered all the possible initiatives and after the Israelis and the Americans rejected their initiatives, the Arabs and the Palestinians must go back to their original demands," he said.

 

"We must say: Palestine from the sea to the river, from the west to the occupied east, and it must be liberated. As long as there is occupation, there will be resistance to the occupation," he concluded.

 


פרסום ראשון: 10.11.09, 22:17
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