The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) on Tuesday accused Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and his Prime Minister Salam Fayyad of hindering efforts for exchanging prisoners with Israel.
The two men "don't want the resistance to score a honorable swap since they don't believe in the method of resistance," said Abu Obaida, a spokesman for Hamas' military wing."
Since 2006, Hamas holds an Israeli soldier in Gaza Strip and demands to exchange him for 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in Israel in addition to all jailed women, children and the old.
Obaida's remarks were made after Israel agreed to release some 200 prisoners as a goodwill gesture to strengthen Abbas and the peace talks the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) holds with Israel.
"Abbas and Fayyad only believe in the negotiations of settlement and beg the occupation to free the prisoners as it happened now," Abu Obaida said.
Hamas said the recent decision of Israel to release the prisoners "widened the internal Palestinian crack" since most of them were affiliated with Abbas' Fatah movement.
Meanwhile, Obaida denied any progress on the release of the captive Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, though Egypt has mediated between Hamas and Israel to broker the swap.
The talks to free Shalit were halted last year after Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip. Later, ties between Hamas and Egypt deteriorated as Hamas accused Egypt of taking part in isolating Gaza by keeping its borders closed.
Source: Xinhua
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