The deposed Hamas government in Gaza on Wednesday called on Saudi Arabia to boycott a U.S.-proposed international conference on Middle East peace scheduled for November.
Hamas spokesman Taher al-Nouno said in a statement sent to the press that the "government is appealing to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia not to accept U.S. invitation to attend the summit."
Al-Nouno said "Hamas has fears that the summit in fall in the United States might be a gate for more concessions and for normalization of ties between the Arab countries and the state of occupation (Israel)."
"Therefore, we call on all our Arab brothers, especially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia not to get into this dark tunnel, and give more concessions," he said.
An aide to President Mahmoud Abbas had earlier said that U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said during her meeting with Abbas that six Arab countries would be invited to the international summit in November.
Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Lebanon and Qatar will be invited to join the summit, the aide said.
Meanwhile, chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat told Palestinian Radio earlier Wednesday from Washington that Abbas focused on the coming summit during his meetings with foreign heads on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
"It's necessary to put a clear and real mechanism to end the occupation of the Palestinian territories and establish the independent Palestinian state with east Jerusalem as its capital," said Erekat.
Source: Xinhua
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