Palestinian PM says not to recognize Israel

Visiting Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haneya said on Friday that his government would never recognize Israel and would continue struggle for the liberation of Jerusalem.

Haneya, who arrived in Tehran on Thursday for talks with Iranian leaders, made the remarks in a speech at Tehran University.

He said that the Hamas-led government "will never recognize the Zionist government and will continue the Jihad-like movement until the liberation of Jerusalem."

The West has been pressing the Palestinian Hamas-led government to recognize Israel and previous peace accords and renounce violence since it took office in late March.

But the three demands were turned down by the government, which led to grave political and financial crises in the territories due to aid cutoff by western donors.

Haneya has been on his first tour abroad since he became the prime minister in a bid to rally support for the Palestinian cause and break up siege imposed by the West and Israel.

Source: Xinhua