Hamas rejects talks with Israel now and in future

Mahmoud al-Zahar, a senior Islamic Hamas movement leader in Gaza, has announced that Hamas is not intending to hold peace negotiations with Israel neither now nor in the future.

Israeli President Moshe Katsaz had earlier stated that Israel might one day hold talks with Hamas, which will be represented in the Palestinian parliament, if Hamas condemns terrorism and recognizes the state of Israel.

Al-Zahar said in a campaigning rally in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis on Wednesday night that Hamas doesn't recognize the ownership of one inch of the occupied Palestinian territories.

"We are not seeking to have Israel as a partner, not now and not in the future," said al-Zahar, who runs as a Hamas candidate in the legislative elections due on January 25.

Al-Zahar also urged Israel to unconditionally release all the Palestinian prisoners and detainees from its jails, adding if Israel doesn't release them, "the only choice for us is to abduct Israeli solders."

"We will exchange those soldiers with our prisoners and detainees," said al-Zahar.

The hardline Hamas is widely expected to pose a strong challenge to the ruling Fatah movement in the coming elections it will contest for the first time since the first and only parliamentary elections in 1996.

Source: Xinhua