17 August 2022; MEMO: A prominent leader in the Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas confirmed that his movement does not veto any contact or relations with political entities other than with the Israeli occupation. This comes at a time when there has been news of "unannounced" contact between the current US administration headed by Joe Biden, and Hamas.
Dr Mousa Abu Marzouk, deputy head of Hamas' political bureau abroad, and the official in charge of the international relations file, said: "Many contacts were made with American figures close to the decision-makers or those in official positions after receiving permission from official authorities before meeting with the movement."
In an exclusive statement to Arabi21, he pointed out that the Hamas leadership had received "several American requests to hold official meetings with the movement, the latest of which was from Jared Kushner, through more than one mediator. We refused the meeting because we did not want to break the unified Palestinian position rejecting the American administration at the time, and because we know that he is working on a project to liquidate the Palestinian cause, as they are seeking to establish a Palestinian state in the Gaza Strip."
Abu Marzouk stressed that "the US is a partner in the crimes committed against the Palestinian people, and it is a strategic ally of the enemy, providing it with weapons, money, political cover, and all means of life. It also claims that it is the only democracy in the region."
He added that the US "was the one who killed the Palestinian democracy [and] fought the results of the general elections that Hamas won in 2006."Abu Marzouk noted that "Hamas is under constant persecution by the US."
He pointed out that "the US is putting pressure on everyone who understands the movement's position, or supports the resistance project, whether with weapons or even just media statements, and this undoubtedly poses a great challenge for us."
Despite this, "the movement's policy is openness to everyone, and we work according to what is possible in political work, and we do not veto any contacts or relations with political entities other than the occupation."
