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| Middle East |
| Hamas, Islamic Jihad reject Palestinian PM |
| 2003-03-12 |
| Militants yesterday rejected the creation of the post of Palestinian prime minister as a ploy imposed by the United States and Israel and vowed to continue attacks against Israel. I confess! It's my ploy. I didn't think they'd notice... The Palestinian parliament on Monday approved appointing a premier nominated by President Yasser Arafat under pressure from international mediators to help defuse the 29-month-old conflict with Israel and revive the peace process. Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) moderate Mahmoud Abbas, also known as Abu Mazen, was expected to take the job. He strongly backs renewed peacemaking and has called for an end to militant attacks on Israelis, saying they have set back Palestinian statehood goals. But the leading militant groups, Hamas and Islamic Jihad, dismissed the political change as a ploy imposed by the United States and Israel to crush "resistance to occupation". Curses! Foiled again! "We will continue our resistance to the Zionist enemy with all possible means and everywhere and we will not be stopped either by a Palestinian or a Zionist," senior Islamic Jihad official Abdallah Al Shami said. "Yup. Yup. Resistance is our life! That, and disco..." Abdel Aziz Al Rantissi, senior political leader in the larger Hamas which wields major influence in the Gaza Strip, reiterated Hamas' rejection of attempts to resume peace talks with Israel and said militancy was the "sole solution." "Yup. Yup. Nothin'll work but more killings." "But that ain't worked, either, Abdel Aziz!" "Mahmoud, shoot him." Asked whether Hamas would be willing to give Abbas a chance to carry out his programme, Rantissi said: "Hamas does not believe in political negotiations. As long as occupation exists resistance is the sole solution." |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |