RAMALLAH, 27 Oct (JMCC) - The
Palestinian Authority is wary of the US and EU's attempts to reach out to
Hamas, it's rival party, to participate in the Middle East
peace process. The PA’s announcement comes amid resumed
Fatah and Hamas “reconciliation” talks expected next week.
Though the two rival parties have expressed optimism about reaching an agreement that would end their dispute, the PA claims that because Hamas' main objective is to undermine and replace the Palestinian government in the
West Bank, it should not be included in the political process.
Gen. Adnan Damiri, spokesman for the Fatah-dominated security forces in the West Bank, said that the PA leadership was deeply concerned about Western attempts to incorporate Hamas into the peace process.
“The Palestinian leadership has learned that the US officials are now studying the situation of Hamas the same way they studied the situation of the PLO in 1990,” Damiri said during a tour of Bethlehem. “Back then, the US used to consider the PLO a terrorist organization, as is the case with Hamas today.”
Read more at the
Jerusalem Post...