GAZA CITY: Hamas movement yesterday denounced statements made in New York by the Middle East Quartet, claiming the diplomatic group is biased toward Israel.
“The position of the Quartet reflects a pro-Israeli bias,” the Palestinian movement that rules the Gaza Strip said in a statement.
Hamas also criticized the diplomatic group, made up of the European Union, Russia, the United Nations and the US, for calling on Palestinians to put an end to “acts of terrorism” against Israel.
“It is perfectly unjust to qualify as terrorism the Palestinian resistance, which is perfectly legitimate,” the movement said.
A ministerial session of Quartet members ended on Friday with a call for Palestinians and Israelis to make every effort to conclude a peace agreement before the end of the year.
Quartet members also “expressed deep concern about increasing (Israeli) settlement activity, which has a damaging impact on the negotiating environment and is an impediment to economic recovery and called on Israel to freeze all settlement activity.” Hamas said that didn’t go far enough.
“It is not enough for the Quartet to express its concern over settlements, action is needed” the statement said.
Continued construction of homes for Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank is seen as a major obstacle to reaching a peace deal.
