GAZA, April 25 (UPI) -- A senior Islamic Hamas leader Monday urged leaders of the militant group living abroad to return to Gaza after Israel leaves the area.  Mahmoud al Zahar issued a statement calling on all Hamas leaders based abroad -- mainly in Syria -- to return to the Gaza Strip after Israel implements its disengagement plan. | "Come into my parlor......" |
Israel is expected to evacuate all Gaza Strip settlements and four others in northern West Bank and withdraw its troops by mid-August. Al Zahar, however, added Hamas "would never give up armed resistance, or to hand over its militants' arms. "The Palestinian Authority knows very well that such a thing would never happen," he said. |