By Xinhua,
Gaza : The Islamic Hamas movement renewed its rejection to the recognition of Israel and rejected the principle of establishing a bi-national state for both the Israelis and Palestinians.
Chief Palestinian negotiator Ahmed Qurei said earlier if the goal to establish two states for the Israelis and Palestinians respectively failed, a bi-national state would be a better solution.
Sami Abu Zuhri, Hamas spokesman in Gaza, said in a statement sent to reporters that Qurei’s remarks reflect the breakdown of the ongoing peace talks between the Palestinian National Authority(PNA) and Israel, which Ramallah authorities and Fatah movement suffer from.
Fatah adopts the proposal of establishing two states, while rival Hamas still has not taken a clear position towards the future solution of the decades-old Arab-Israeli conflict.
“Fatah accepts to coexist with the occupation (Israel) on the expense of the Palestinians’ rights,” Abu Zuhri said. “But, if this generation fails to liberate Palestine, this doesn’t mean to abandon the land and the legitimate rights.”
Earlier in the day, Qurei said the ongoing peace negotiations with Israel have not led to any progress on the outstanding final status issues, namely the status of Jerusalem, the borders and the return of refugees.
“The negotiations are going on seriously and they are difficult, but we did not reach an agreement on any final-status issues,” Qurei told reporters in Ramallah.
Pushed by the U.S. administration, the long-stalled peace talks between Israel and Palestinians were renewed at the Annapolis peace conference last November.
The Palestinians and the U.S. administration hope to clinch a deal on a Palestinian statehood alongside Israel before President George Bush quits the White House in January.