Hamas will not recognize Israel

Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh says Hamas will not recognize Israel as the resistance movement is marking the 23rd anniversary of its establishment.

Haniyeh made the remarks as tens of thousands of Palestinians gathered in the Gaza Strip to celebrate the ceremony on Tuesday.

The crowd rallied in Gaza City’s Kateeba Square.

“We support our people and Hamas will not retreat from the Palestinian territories,” the Hamas official said. “We will not recognize Israel.”

“We have allies inside and outside the Palestinian territories, but Hamas movement is independent in decision making,” he added.

Haniyeh also referred to the US-sponsored direct talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, saying the negotiations were imaginary as Washington was incapable of putting pressure on Tel Aviv to extend its partial settlement slowdown, which expired late September.

Israel’s refusal to meet international demands over the settlement issue put an end to the renewed direct talks between the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Tel Aviv.

The United Nations and the European Union have repeatedly urged Israel to freeze its settlement expansion in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Acting PA Chief Mahmoud Abbas has said that he would not return to the negotiations as long as Tel Aviv continues its illegal settlement projects.

Members of some of Gaza’s political factions, including the Islamic Jihad Movement, also participated in the celebration.

The Palestinians also commemorate their spiritual leader and the founder of Hamas, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, who was assassinated by Israel in 2004.

Hamas was founded in 1987 for the purpose of liberating Palestinian territories from the Israeli occupation.

Israel occupied the West Bank, including East al-Quds (Jerusalem), which Palestinians deem the capital of their homeland, during the 1967 Six-Day War.