Mash'al of Hamas says Palestinians are determined to break up the Israeli blockade

Saturday May 24, 2008 23:49

by Rami Almeghari - IMEMC & Agencies

Hamas's exiled top leader, Khaled Mash'al, reiterated his ruling party's determination to break up the ongoing Israeli blockade on Gaza, warning of what he termed 'inactive' international community's role towards ending the Palestinian people suffering.

Khaled Mash'al

In a joint press briefing with the Iranian foreign minister, Monoshhar Motaki, in Tehran on Saturday midday, Mash'al told reporters " we would like to reiterate that Hamas, along with all forces that are supportive of the Palestinian people, is determined to break up the Gaza siege, unless the international community takes the lead in ending such a siege.

The Hamas's leader said that reopening the Rafah crossing terminal in southern Gaza Strip is a matter that is related to the Palestinian-Egyptian sides and that Israel has nothing to do with such a crossing.

Mash'al accused the United States and Israel of foiling Palestinian conciliation efforts " the Israelis and Americans have been preventing conciliation by pressuring one party , so they might produce a division among the Palestinians for the best of an unfair settlement of the conflict".

" the Palestinian people wont accept a compromise that concedes parts of the Palestinian lands or Jerusalem or might renounce the right of return and full sovereignty of the Palestinian people over the occupied Palestinian territories"

The Hamas senior pointed out that the Palestinian people's will can not be broken despite the siege and the frequent Israeli attacks as well as the Israeli collective punishment policies.

From his part, the Iranian foreign minister, accused the American administration of contributing to the Israeli crimes against the Palestinian people.

Israel enforced a crippling closure on the Gaza Strip in June2007, after the democratically-elected Hamas party took over the Strip amidst factional infighting with Fatah party of president Mahmoud Abbas, who currently holds peace talks with Israel.