Hamas government says Israeli-Palestinian talks 'aimless and useless'

Tuesday May 06, 2008 16:08 by Rami Almeghari - IMEMC & Agencies

The de-facto Hamas government in Gaza described yesterday the latest Palestinian-Israeli peace talks as ' aimless and useless'.

Spokesman of Hamas government, Taher Al-Nunu

Taher aL-Nuno, spokesman of the government, said in a statement, faxed to press yesterday night that 'such meetings aim at concluding a communiqué that goes consistent with the Israeli expansionist plans"

Al-Nuno asserted on what he termed 'Israeli denial' of the Palestinian people's right to return to the historical homeland of Palestine by expanding settlements and tightening the siege on Gaza as well as building an Apartheid Wall in the West Bank.

He also appealed to all concerned bodies to intervene immediately to end the ongoing Israeli blockade of Gaza, stressing that any Israeli military offensive on Gaza won't be a 'picnic.

Yesterday, a series of negotiations between Palestinian and Israeli officials were held under the auspices of U.S Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, who has visited the region recently.

The ruling Hamas party in Gaza has shunned peace talks with Israel until Israel halts attacks on Palestinians and end its siege imposed since last June on Gaza's 1.5 million residents.

The democratically-elected Islamist Hamas took over Gaza last June, amidst factional infighting with Fatah party of President Mahmoud Abbas, who, continues to hold peace negotiations with Israel from the West Bank city of Ramallah.

gaza strip | palestinian politics | news report rami at imemc dot org