Hamas: Committed to Doha deal, but needs amendment
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
February 21, 2012 - 1:00am

BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) -- Senior Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayyah said Monday that the Islamist movement is committed to the Doha agreement, but still disputes President Abbas' dual role of prime minister. "Make it lawful, as Abbas can't be president and prime minister according to the law," al-Hayyah told Ma'an. The senior Hamas figure also quashed rumors that a meeting had been convened to address internal disputes.

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We are committed to reconciliation agreement - Hamas official
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Asharq Alawsat
by Ali El-saleh - (Interview) February 17, 2012 - 1:00am

London, Asharq Al-Awsat –Senior Hamas figure Khalil al-Hayya informed Asharq Al-Awsat that the Hamas movement is committed to the Doha Declaration, although he acknowledged that there are some “legal” issues that must be dealt with before this can be implemented. Al-Hayya, who is a member of the Hamas Political Bureau for the Gaza Strip spoke to Asharq Al-Awsat about the Doha Declaration in the wake of inflammatory comments issued by another senior Hamas figure, Mahmoud al-Zahar.

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Hamas of Contradictions
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from NOW Lebanon
by Hussein Ibish - (Opinion) February 14, 2012 - 1:00am

The growing split that has been emerging within the leadership of Hamas has exploded into a bitter public feud. It was prompted an agreement reached last week in Qatar between the head of Hamas’ political bureau, Khaled Meshaal, and the Palestinian Authority president, Mahmoud Abbas. According to the deal, Abbas would take on the additional role of prime minister until elections are held later this year.

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Hamas' Haniyeh: Armed resistance is the only way to fight Israel
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press
February 13, 2012 - 1:00am

The only path in the Palestinian struggle against Israel is the path of armed resistance, Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh said during a visit to Iran on Monday, adding that the "gun is our only response to Zionist regime." Haniyeh's comments came following recent reports of a change in Hamas' declared strategy in the fight against Israel, with some of the group's officials indicating that Hamas was headed toward a path of nonviolent resistance.

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Police close Al-Aqsa, block right-wing leader
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
February 13, 2012 - 1:00am

JERUSALEM (Ma’an) -- Israeli police closed access to Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa compound on Sunday morning, saying they feared unrest after leaflets were distributed around the city calling to remove "Israel's enemies" from the site. Police also blocked far-right Israeli politician Moshe Feiglin from entering the holy compound "for security reasons," Israeli police spokesman Mickey Rosenfeld said. Feiglin, who was the sole rival to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in their Likud's party leadership contest last month, said earlier this week he intended to tour the Al-Aqsa compound.

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Israel's new peace camp is playing into Hamas' hands
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Akiva Eldar - (Opinion) February 13, 2012 - 1:00am

There was a time - before Mahmoud Ahmadinejad starred here in the role of Hitler - when the "elites" were Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's number one enemy.

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Doha Agreement valid despite Al-Zahar’s statements – Hamas
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Asharq Alawsat
by Ali El-saleh - February 13, 2012 - 1:00am

London, Asharq al-Awsat- An official from the Change and Reform bloc in the Palestinian Legislative Council has stated the remarks by Hamas’s Mahmud al-Zahar concerning the Doha declaration and designation of President Mahmud Abbas, to form a transitional national accord government reflects the Hamas Movement Political Bureau member’s personal opinion.

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Hamas Chiefs Wrestle with Split on Palestinian Pact
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
by Nidal al-Mughrabi - February 13, 2012 - 1:00am

GAZA, Feb 13 (Reuters) - The two top leaders of the Islamist Palestinian group Hamas failed at secret talks in Qatar on Sunday to resolve an internal crisis over a reconciliation pact with the rival Fatah movement of President Mahmoud Abbas, a diplomat in the region said. The first open leadership split in the 25-year history of Hamas -- the militant, Iranian-funded organisation which opposes a peace treaty with Israel -- arose over how far it should go in closing ranks with Fatah, the Palestinian mainstream group.

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Hamas police bans pro-Syria opposition rally in Gaza
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
February 12, 2012 - 1:00am

GAZA, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- Hamas police on Sunday prevented dozens of activists from demonstrating in solidarity with Syrian people in the Gaza Strip, witnesses said. The policemen peacefully stopped the protest shortly after it started in front of the Hamas-dominated Palestinian Legislative Council in Gaza city. The demonstrators, nearly 30 of them, waved Palestinian and Syrian flags, with banners supporting the Syrian anti-government protest, before they left.

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Iran urges Hamas to continue fight against Israel
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press
by Nasser Karimi - February 12, 2012 - 1:00am

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran's leaders urged the Hamas prime minister of Gaza to continue the Islamic militant group's resistance against Israel and promised support, state TV reported on Sunday. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told Hamas' Ismail Haniyeh that Iran would always stand by the Palestinian "resistance" against Israel and warned him against "compromisers." President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for his part said it was Iran's "duty" to stand by the Palestinians.

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