Israel Matzav

Hamas' Marzouk threatens new war if 'blockade' is not lifted

In an interview with the Associated Press on Thursday, Hamas deputy politburo leader Moussa Abu Marzouk threatened another war with Israel if the 'blockade' of the Gaza Strip is not lifted. The current truce expires next Thursday. Israel refuses to lift the 'blockade' from its side unless Hamas is disarmed. And no one is even asking about lifting the 'blockade' from the Egyptian side.

The deputy leader of Hamas, Moussa Abu Marzouk, insisted Thursday that Hamas won the war, despite the apparent military setbacks.

He said his group's popularity among Palestinians has increased and that it would likely defeat Abbas and his Fatah movement if elections were held today.

Early this month, a survey conducted by a prominent West Bank pollster found a significant increase in support for Hamas after the war.

Abu Marzouk warned that failure to negotiate a new Gaza deal and a lifting of the blockade would "lead to another war."

"We don't want that, and the Israelis, I guess, don't like to see that (war) again," he said in halting English, speaking in an office in a Gaza City high-rise overlooking the Mediterranean.

Abu Marzouk, the deputy of exiled Hamas chief Khaled Mashaal, said the people of Gaza lived in a difficult situation before the war as a result of the blockade.

"We can't put the Palestinians after the war in the same situation," said Abu Marzouk, who has lived in Egypt for the past three years but has visited Gaza several times. "They (the Israelis) have to change their policy."

There are a lot of people in Israel who would love another crack at finishing Hamas off. Hmmm.

Labels: Gaza blockade, Gaza plenty, Hamas, Hamas-Fatah reconciliation, Mousa Abu Marzouk, Operation Protective Edge, weapons acquisition

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 3:24 AM