Hamas: Obama Does Not Represent Change
The Associated Press
Hamdan tells Al-Jazeera television he expects Obama to experience failure in the region over the next four years if he sticks with his current position.
Obama said Thursday that going forward Hamas must end rocket fire at Israel, and Israel must complete the withdrawal of its forces from Gaza. Although those steps were taken this week, low-level violence has marred the fragile cease-fire that ended Israel's three week offensive in Gaza.
Meshal urges West to lift boycott on Gaza Strip
Damascus-based Hamas political leader Khaled Meshal urged the West on Wednesday to lift its boycott of the Islamist group that controls the Gaza Strip.
"I tell European nations...three years of trying to eliminate Hamas is enough. It is time for you to deal with Hamas, which has gained legitimacy through struggle," Meshal said in a televised speech from the Syrian capital.
The Hamas leader also urged Obama and European leaders to glean the "required lessons" from their countries' support for the "Israeli aggression."
Hamas calls for reconciliation with Fatah
Hamas called Thursday for reconciliation with supporters of rival Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas but insisted on pursuing resistance against Israel.
The condition appeared to preclude any agreement with Abbas, who seeks a peace deal with Israel and whose moderate Fatah faction was not among the groups that backed the statement by eight Damascus-based radical Palestinian factions including Hamas.
Earlier on Thursday, a senior Hamas official dismissed any reconciliation talks with rival Fatah group.
www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1057946.html