Hamas warns PLO council not to compromise with Israel
July 2, 2000
GAZA City — The leading Palestinian militant group Hamas warned the Palestine
Liberation Organization’s Central Council on Sunday against compromising with
Israel.
“The only way to settle the Palestinian case is by Jihad (Islamic holy
war),” said the Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, in a statement sent to
the PLO’s Central Council, which is meeting in Gaza City.
Hamas, which violently opposes the peace process with the Jewish state and
has carried out armed attacks, said the Palestinian leadership was playing into
Israel’s hands.
“All that is going on now is the most dangerous turning point for the
Palestinian people because its aim is to kill their case and do with the land, holy
places and the people as the Zionists want,” said Hamas in a statement
obtained by AFP.
The 129-member Central Council began a two-day meeting here to discuss
plans to carry out independence from Israel this year with or without a peace
agreement.
Hamas, which opposes Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, rejected an invitation
to the meeting.
“We call for resistance of the occupation of Palestine on every place on
the land.
Israel should be annihilated as is written in the holy Koran, and this will
be confirmed in the coming days, God willing. Their tyranny, corruption and
stubbornness will be their end, God willing,” said Hamas.
The Islamic resistance group said it would not respect any peace deal reached
with Israel.
“Hamas will not accept any compromise of Palestinian land now or in the
future, and any compromises made are not valid,” the group said.
