Hamas | The American Task Force on Palestine

Erdogan Wins Palestinian Hearts and Minds
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-Monitor
by Adnan Abu Amer - (Opinion) March 6, 2013 - 1:00am

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan didn't need to declare a connection between Zionism and racism to gain popularity among Palestinians.

Hamas as ‘terrorist’ organization hampers peace process: James Baker
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-Arabiya
March 5, 2013 - 1:00am

One solution to promote peace between Palestinians and Israelis is to have non-Hamas members from the Gaza Strip negotiating peace, a former U.S. official told Al Arabiya. “Israel and the United States will not work with Hamas because it is seen to be a terrorist organization,” James Baker, who served as the Chief of Staff in the final year of the administration of President George H.W. Bush said.

Gaza Hamas rulers to start campaign to catch spies
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press
March 4, 2013 - 1:00am

Gaza's Hamas rulers say they will begin a new campaign to find Palestinian collaborators with Israel. Col. Mohammed Lafi of Gaza's Interior Ministry said Monday that the campaign aims to protect Palestinian militant groups battling Israel. Lafi says they will also warn other Palestinians of the dangers of spying. Israel security officials have long relied on a network of informants in the Palestinian territories to keep tabs on militants.

Self-Immolation Un-Islamic, Scolds Hamas
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-Monitor
by Mohammed Suliman - March 4, 2013 - 1:00am

On Feb. 21, Mohammed al-Namrouti, a 43-year-old resident of the Gaza Strip, set himself on fire inside the headquarters of the Gaza Ministry of Social Affairs in Jabaliya, north of Gaza City. Local news agencies reported that Namrouti had gone to the office to obtain food assistance during which an argument ensued between him and officials and ended in Namrouti setting fire to himself.

Palestinian Reconciliation Not Close
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-Monitor
by Naela Khalil - (Editorial) March 3, 2013 - 1:00am

Despite the "warm peace" witnessed between Azzam al-Ahmad, the Fatah official responsible for the reconciliation file, and Moussa Abu Marzouk, the deputy chief of Hamas' political bureau, on Feb. 28 in Cairo, the meeting's good feelings did not transfer to the West Bank or the Gaza Strip in any way. Moreover, the relationship between the two movements continues to deteriorate.

Israeli-Palestinian tensions could ultimately spark a major confrontation
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Amos Harel - (Opinion) March 1, 2013 - 1:00am

As though 25 years hadn’t gone by, the Israel Defense Forces this week went back to using some of the terminology of the first intifada. Beginning this morning, a special alert was to be declared in the territories, with security forces deployed there ahead of an expected wave of demonstrations, revolving around the prayer services in the mosques. The police, too, will beef up their presence, with an eye on the weekly prayers on the Temple Mount.

Hamas to address Arafat foundation
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
February 28, 2013 - 1:00am

Hamas is attending the board meeting of the Yasser Arafat Foundation for the first time at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo on Thursday. Hamas deputy politburo chief Moussa Abu Marzouq will address the foundation's board of trustees for its sixth meeting, attended by league secretary-general Nabil al-Arabi, the head of the foundation Nasser al-Qidra told Ma'an. Abu Marzouq will brief the foundation about reconciliation, al-Qidra said.

Exclusive: Hamas Official Predicts Third Intifada
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-Monitor
by Abeer Ayyoub - February 28, 2013 - 1:00am

The Palestinian Authority is “dragging its feet” on reconciliation due to US President Barack Obama’s scheduled visit in March, senior Hamas leader and Gaza parliamentarian Salah Bardawil told Al-Monitor in an exclusive interview. Bardawil touched on this along with the latest disputes between Hamas and Fatah and said that little progress is expected until after the Obama trip.

PA, Hamas not interested in escalation
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
February 27, 2013 - 1:00am

A third intifada is not likely to erupt in the occupied West Bank, neither a military confrontation is expected between Israel and the Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip, say Palestinian analysts. Two local analysts highlighted Tuesday that the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank is not interested in a third intifada, because the results would be disastrous. Similarly, Hamas is not interested in ending the ceasefire and resuming military confrontation with Israel forces.

Egypt-Gaza tunnels must be destroyed, Cairo court rules
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
February 27, 2013 - 1:00am

A Cairo court ruled on Tuesday that the government must destroy all tunnels between Egypt and the Gaza Strip, removing a route for smuggled weapons and other goods. President Mohammed Morsi’s national security adviser Essam Haddad has said Egypt will not tolerate the two-way flow of smuggled arms through the tunnels that is destabilizing the Sinai Peninsula.

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