Hamas accuses Abbas of obstructing efforts to open Gaza crossings

Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, accused president Mahmoud Abbas, of acting to obstruct all efforts which aim at lifting the siege imposed on the Gaza Strip and reopening its border crossings.

Palestinian President - Mahmoud Abbas

The Palestinian Information Center which is run by Hamas received a press release from Fawzi Barhoom,  the spokesperson of Hamas movement. In his statement, Barhoom said Abbas insists on the implementation of the Crossing Agreement of 2005, and that this agreement led to the strict siege over the Gaza Strip.

Barhoom added that “the persistence of Abbas to link lifting the siege with stopping the resistance proves that he wants to obstruct all efforts carried by Hamas and its government in Gaza with the Egyptian government in order to open the Rafah terminal between Gaza and Egypt and to lift the siege, in addition to stopping the Israeli aggression.

Barhoom went on to say that Abbas is subduing to the Israeli orders to continue the siege over the Gaza Strip and to strike the resistance.   

“In his statement, we believe that Abbas is turning his back to the suffering and the sacrifices of the residents in the Gaza Strip”, Barhoom added, “These statements are voiding the appeals of the international organizations and the calls of the European Union to lift the siege, Abbas is also turning his back to the decisions of the Arab League and its calls to end the siege”.

He also said that the statements of Abbas are encouraging Israel to continue its assaults against the residents of the Gaza Strip and to further tighten the siege.

“These statement are also encouraging the occupation to commit more crimes without being held responsible to these violations”, Barhoom added.

In a press conference in Egypt on Tuesday after his meeting with the Egyptian President, Hosni Mubarak, Abbas said the resistance must stop firing homemade shells into adjacent Israeli areas and that Israel is using these shells as a cause to continue the siege.

Abbas added that the firing of homemade shells must stop in order not to give Israel any further excuses to continue the siege and its violations and assaults in the Gaza Strip.

"Israel is using the Palestinian rockets as excused to continue the siege, so these rockets should stop first in order to end these excuses, end the siege and assaults on the Gaza Strip," Abbas said in his Cairo conference with Mubarak.    

Hamas spokesperson - Fawzi Barhoom