Hamas urges Arab countries not to take biased stand in the Palestinian affair

GAZA, (PIC)-- The Hamas Movement, which led the victory over Israel in Gaza Strip, urged Arab countries to stay neutral as far as the Palestinian affair is concerned and not to support certain party against the others. Reacting to the meeting of nine Arab foreign affairs ministers in Abu Dhabi where they clearly supported Fatah and PLO leader Mahmoud Abbas, Hamas's lawmaker Mushir Al-Masri asserted that Hamas now reflects the "pulse" of the Arab and Muslim Ummah, and thus, he added, all attempts to support an expired authority and a paralyzed organization would lead nowhere. In this regard, Masri called on the Arab countries not to deepen the Palestinian political conflict, and to work hard and sincerely to patch up the Palestinian differences. "It is imprudent to insist to deal with an expired authority and an inactive organization while ignoring a legitimate and democratically elected Movement", Masri underlined alluding to Hamas Movement. Nine Arab foreign ministers, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, UAE, PA, Tunisia, Morocco, Bahrain, Yemen, and Jordan held an unscheduled meeting in Abu Dhabi Monday to discuss the Palestinian issue. On the other hand, Masri categorically rejected suggestions that Hamas intends to change its conditions to release captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, underlining that Shalit won't be freed unless the Israeli occupation authority agrees to swap him with Palestinian prisoners based on Hamas's list. "The life of our prisoners isn’t less than the life of our political leaders and soldiers, and thus, let no one think that Hamas would, at any point of time, compromise on this issue (of the prisoners)", Masri underscored. In a related matter, former official in the Israeli Shabak (internal intelligence department) pointed out that the popularity of Hamas among the Palestinian people has noticeably increased in the aftermath of the Gaza battle at the expense of Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah faction. Beri Golan, the former head of the Arabic section in the Shabak, said that Abu Mazen (Abbas) became known as the weak man among the Palestinian youths in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, especially after his term in office had expired last month. He also urged his government to agree to a truce with Hamas for one year as the Movement wants, and to work hard within this truce with moderate Arab states with the aim to isolate the "Iranian influence", opining that another armed confrontation with Hamas is likely to happen.