Hamas rejects Arab League conditions on peace talks

GAZA - The Islamic Hamas movement, which controls the Gaza Strip, Thursday rejected the Arab League’s conditions on which its support for direct Israeli-Palestinian peace talks depend, calling them a “cover”.

“We reject any cover for the resumption of the direct talks with the Zionist occupation,” Ismail Radwan, a senior Hamas leader in Gaza said. “This committee is not authorised to make concessions over the rights of our people.”

In a letter addressed to the US administration, the Arab League said Thursday it needed a clear timeframe, specific reference terms and a monitoring mechanism in order to support direct talks.

Radwan said that “the Arab cover would lead to more confiscation of lands, more demolition of houses in Jerusalem and the West Bank and more expansion of settlement.”

“The Arab League committee should immediately withdraw this cover and reject any call for the resumption of direct or indirect talks,” he continued.