(Times-UK) Ian MacKinnon - In Gaza Thursday there was no euphoria that greeted the pledge on Tuesday by the Israeli and Palestinian leaders to halt four years of bloodshed. In Jabaliya they rebuked Abu Mazen for surrendering his only bargaining chip - the armed struggle - and getting nothing in return. "Abu Mazen sold us out," Abu Fayed, 45, said as green Hamas flags flapped overhead. "Why did he shake Sharon's hand? What did he get? Nothing." "I wouldn't say it's a betrayal," said Sami Abu Zuhri, a spokesman for Hamas, "but it was a mistake. The only card the Palestinians have to play is the resistance card. Abu Mazen gave it away for free." "Hamas is providing Abu Mazen space to give Israel time to fulfill our requirements. But if there's no response from Israel to our conditions and the calm that currently prevails, we will continue the armed resistance," Abu Zuhri said.
2005-02-10 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive