Saturday, January 17, 2009

Hamas: No truce before our demands are met

Palestinian group's representative in Lebanon says organization won't hold fire in Gaza. 'Don't suggest that we surrender because we haven't been defeated and we won't be defeated,' he says. Palestinians report more than 1,200 dead since start of military operation in Strip
Ali Waked

While Israel prepares to declare a unilateral ceasefire, Hamas has no plans to hold its fire: Hamas' representative in Lebanon, Osama Hamdan, said Saturday morning that the different initiatives for a ceasefire were aimed at getting the Palestinians to concede things "which the enemy failed to achieve through the fighting".


He called on regional elements to stand by the resistance. Speaking at a conference in Beirut, also attended by European representatives supporting the Palestinians, the senior Hamas member said, "If we don't hear what we want, we'll return to the fighting arena."


Hamdan added that the resistance must continue. "Don't suggest that we surrender because we haven't been defeated and won't be defeated. Our determination grows stronger every day, because our debt to the shahids (martyrs) whose blood has been spilled is bigger. We shall continue fighting, so don't suggest that we surrender."


Turning to the gunmen in Gaza, Hamdan said, "Just like the resistance was victorious in Lebanon in 2006, you will win in January 2009." He called on the Palestinian people to continue their struggle.


According to Hamdan, Hamas would only agree to a ceasefire if the conditions set by the organization are met.


"I would like to suggest to all the mediators to focus in their initiatives on halting the offensive and lifting the blockade and not to touch anything else."


'Enemy treating you like servants'
Pointing a finger at Egypt, Hamdan said, "There are elements in the region which believe that the enemy treats them as a partner. They don’t understand that the enemy treats them like servants or like an improved image of the ancient slaves, but this is the 21st century."


He also criticized "the Palestinian president until a few days ago" (Mahmoud Abbas), who was absent from the Arab summit in Qatar.


Hamdan stressed that Israel's leaders should be put on trial for committing war crimes in the Gaza Strip. He told the Europeans that "the Zionist entity enjoys a special status in the European Union."


He also congratulated the presidents of Venezuela and Bolivia for severing their diplomatic ties with Israel, and ridiculed Arab leaders who he said were letting Israel act without disturbances.


As Operation Cast Lead entered its 22nd day on Saturday, Palestinians reported that 1,200 people had been killed in Gaza since the start of the military activity and some 5,300 have been injured. According to the sources, more than half of the casualties are women, children and youths.


Palestinians reported Saturday morning that shells fired by the Israel Defense Forces exploded in a United Nations school in the town of Beit Lahiya, injuring residents who had fled their home and sought shelter in the building. A mother and two of her children were killed and at least 13 people were injured, most of them sustaining serious wounds.


Meanwhile, the rocket fire continued Saturday, with seven Qassams fired into Israel since the morning hours. One of the rockets hit an empty building near a synagogue in a community in the Netivot area. Two people suffered shock. The other rocket exploded in open areas without causing injuries or damage.

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