Hamas warns of kidnapping if Israelis refuse to free prisoners

Mahmoud Zahar, a prominent leader of Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), has warned that in case Israel didn't release Palestinian prisoners then his movement will increase the number of kidnapping Israelis, Israeli daily Ha'aretz reported on Tuesday.

Zahar made the warning in an interview with Ha'aretz website this week, the first of its kind he held with Israeli media since Israeli assassination of Hamas leaders Sheikh Ahmed Yassin and Abdel Aziz Rantisi in 2004.

Zahar was quoted as saying that if Israel had released a large number of prisoners, as it had pledged to do, the kidnapping and killing would not have happened.

Israel is holding 9,000 prisoners and if they are not released, kidnappings will increase, he added.

Asked whether Hamas charter calls for destruction of Israel is a principle of religious faith, Zahar was quoted as replied that the charter is a political vision and it could change, but "the subject is not under discussion right now."

On what Hamas has learned from the Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, Zahar said that "the power of weapons is not the important thing, but the impact of the other side."

Hamas understands that Israel left the Gaza Strip defeated but not entirely so. It was not a clear victory or total defeat for either side, Zahar said.

Zahar, meanwhile, clarified that the current calmness with Israel is not a change of Hamas position, adding there were cease- fires before and the acceptance of the idea of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and joining it is also not a new development.

Source: Xinhua