The Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas) on Monday called on Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to cancel a meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush in New York.
"The Palestinian people pay the price of these meetings since the U.S. participates in the aggression against our people without offering anything for them," Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri told reporters in Gaza.
Abbas and Bush are due to meet Monday in the course of the UN General Assembly meetings, during which Abbas will brief Bush on the results of his recent talks with Israeli Prim Minister Ehud Olmert.
Abbas and Olmert, meeting regularly since Bush called for a Mideast peace conference in November, hope to reach groundwork for resuming final status negotiations after getting their proposals approved by the conference.
But for Hamas, Abbas' main rival, the meeting with Bush was meant to "provide political support for Abbas and showing that the international community backs him in facing Hamas".
Hamas forces seized control of the Gaza Strip in June after fierce fighting with pro-Abbas security forces, bushing the president, who is also the head of the secular Fatah movement, to fire a Hamas government and form a Western-backed administration.
Hamas also slammed the U.S. administration, saying it takes part "in boosting the siege on the Palestinian people so it is an enemy side."
Source: Xinhua
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