As I said here yesterday, the media reports that the “Palestinian” jihadists would recognize Israel were false. Now the prospect of this suit is marvelously entertaining. After years of doing all it could to try to make Hamas look good, the Washington Post now may get sued by Hamas for…trying to make it look good.
“Hamas: We will never recognize Israel,” by Elhanan Miller, Times of Israel, April 27, 2014 (thanks to Daniel):
Breaking the silence following its joint reconciliation announcement with Fatah last week, Hamas said on Sunday that it would not recognize Israel, although it indicated it would not obstruct negotiations between the PLO and the Jewish state.
Hamas and Fatah agreed on April 23 to implement the 2011 Cairo reconciliation agreement, stipulating the formation of an interim technocrat government within five weeks, followed by general parliamentary and presidential elections in Gaza and the West Bank within six months.
At first, Hamas’s only official comment to Wednesday’s “Gaza declaration” was a laconic statement declaring Palestinian unity to be “a national achievement and an important junction in Palestinian history.”
But subsequent comments by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas saying that a unity government led by him will recognize Israel, coupled with statements to the same effect attributed to Hamas government spokesman Taher Nunu by The Washington Post on Saturday night, prompted several Hamas officials to speak up on Sunday.
“What I was quoted as telling the American paper is wrong, and I unequivocally deny it,” Nunu told the Palestinian Qudsnet news agency. “The issue of Hamas recognizing Israel is a complete nonstarter… aimed primarily at weakening the movement’s positions on Israel.”
Nunu said he would seek legal recourse against The Washington Post for its “false report.”
Sami Abu Zuhri, a spokesman for the Hamas movement, was more troubled on Sunday by calls directed at Gaza Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh to resign. PA Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah tendered his resignation to Abbas on Friday, pending a presidential decision.
“We do not talk about resignations, but rather about a new government that will be formed within just five weeks,” Abu Zuhri told the Hamas-affiliated Quds Press news agency. “The Ismail Haniyeh government is prepared to relinquish power the moment the new government is formed.”
With regards to recognizing Israel, Abu Zuhri proceeded to distinguish between the Palestinian government — tasked with domestic affairs — and the PLO (of which Hamas is not a part), whose role has included negotiating with Israel.
“We acknowledge that Abbas’s recognition of the occupation is his traditional position, nothing new. The [Hamas] movement position is unwavering in not recognizing the occupation in any form. In any event, negotiations are the task of the PLO; the government has no part in them,” Abu Zuhri said.
Sheikh Hassan Youssef, a Hamas official in the West Bank who told The Times of Israel last week that Palestinian reconciliation would serve the peace process, rushed to clarify on Sunday that Hamas would never recognize Israel.
“The question of recognition is non-debatable as long as [Israel] occupies our land,” Youssef told the website of Hamas newspaper Al-Resalah on Sunday. He asserted that the PLO was in charge of negotiations and Palestinian foreign policy, adding that “Hamas is not responsible for its relations with Israel.”
RCCA says
He probably should sue Abbas as well. Oh well…
Jay Boo says
Abbas made a (self-serving) last minute PR sound bite that yes, indeed the Holocaust was a tragedy. Netanyahu rightly pointed out the sham.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-04-27/netanyahu-says-he-won-t-talk-with-hamas-backed-government.html
mortimer says
Sue Abbas? They’ll probably bomb one another soon enough.
Jeff says
Hamas is just going to see if Israel is stupid enough to ease restrictions so they are arm up. The minute Israel gives an inch, Hamas will go on a killing spree for a mile.
Jeff says
*are can
Angemon says
“Nunu said he would seek legal recourse against The Washington Post for its “false report.””
If every media outlet who ever lied to make islam and/or muslims look good were sued how many would be left standing? Poor BBC…
john spielman says
HAM ASS doesn’t recognize Israel. Uh boys … just LOOK ACROSS YOUR BORDER, THAT’S ISRAEL!
Sweetness says
“The question of recognition is non-debatable as long as [Israel] occupies our land,”
What land of Hamas’ is Israel occupying? They even emptied the cemeteries of Jews in Gaza.
It is illegal for Jews to enter PA controlled land. This Occupation double talk has to be stopped. Hamas and PLO and PIJ and Fatah and PA are clear: “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free. ”
An examination of the maps from San Remo on will clarify that Trans Jordan, now Jordan was set aside as Jewish land. End the Arab occupation of Jordan!!! Time to change the narrative and bring real history into an offensive shaming campaign. Maps. Dates. No more of the Egyptian Arrafat’s manufactured palifakery!
Salah says
“Sami Abu Zuhri, a spokesman for the Hamas movement, was more troubled on Sunday by calls directed at Gaza Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh to resign.”
Haniyeh is the head of Hamas. This “reconciliation” is nothing more than a saving face for Hamas. Hamas lost its mentor: the Muslim Brotherhood of Egypt. Hamas *had* to submit to Abbas. Pressed by Egypt, Hamas don’t have a choice. In other words, Hamas is DEAD.
don vito says
palestine is obviously jewish, anyone, even the product of the gazan education system, or media consumer can tell. why…first cousin marriage progeny…are well aware that palestine is jewish. Stine, comeon, Stine. Gazians, you’re living in land named for a Jew. HAHAHAHAHA, Happy Eternal Castration. paleSTINE.
Prinz Eugen says
Fake headlines claiming that the misplaced Jordanians would recognize were made to paint the Israelis as the non-negotiators! That defunct “road map” should never be mentioned again.
Clear areas of “occupiers?” Let’s start with getting the moslems out of Constantinople!
RonaldB says
Any feint by the Muslims can be dangerous, especially since Israel has to maintain formal relations with the US. Right now, the UN would impose crippling economic and diplomatic sanctions on Israel, were it not for the US. These sanctions brought down the South African government, staying in effect even AFTER the South African government had FORMALLY renounced apartheid.
The strategy of the Palestinians seems to be to separate the entity reaching an agreement with Israel from the actual government. The ideal scenario for the Palestinians is probably something like this:
The PLO, acting as an independent body and not as the Palestinian government, works out some sort of recognition of Israel, on the condition that a land bridge be formed uniting the West Bank with Gaza, The bridge would split Israel, pose a huge security risk, and would be treated as sacrosact territory by the UN, Europe, and the US.
Once the bridge is established, the PLO members will begin a new organization, either joining it, or joining with Hamas. It is not out of the question that the end of the PLO will be violent.
The new government of Palestine, with few ties remaining to the old PLO, will claim that it has no obligations to respect the recognition of Israel, except under very restrictive conditions. Their actions will continue to be dictated by what they can get away with, rather than by any obligations of a treaty.
The end result will be, Israel will be no better off diplomatically, and far worse off territorially and strategically. Where have we seen that before?
I emphasize this is the best-case scenario for the Palestinians. The Israelis can probably block the process, especially if the American liberal Jewish organizations such as the Union for Reform Judaism, stop lobbying to pressure Israel for suicidal concessions.
Beth says
Now the prospect of this suit is marvelously entertaining
LOLS! yes it is