by Emad Drimly, Saud Abu Ramadan
GAZA, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Islamic Hamas movement, which rules the Gaza Strip, and the pro-Iran Islamic Jihad (Holy War) movement, said Saturday that Palestine Liberation Organization's (PLO) approval of launching the proximity talks with Israel is not binding to all the Palestinian people.
Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri told Xinhua that the PLO decision to launch the U.S.-sponsored proximity talks "doesn't represent all the Palestinian people and it is not binding anyone of our people," adding "the decision is playing with the interests and the fate of the Palestinian people."
On Saturday, a joint meeting of the PLO executive committee and Fatah party's central committee, chaired by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas agreed with vast majority of the members to join the U.S. sponsored proximity talks that would last for four months.
"The decision wastes the rights of the Palestinian people and gives the occupation (Israel) a cover to continue its crimes. The Palestinian people will be the only losers, while the occupation wants the talks not to make peace but to modify its image and continue its crimes against our people," said Abu Zuhri.
Yasser Abed Rabbo, member of the PLO executive committee, told a news conference in the aftermath of a three-hour meeting that " the joint meeting of the PLO executive committee and Fatah central committee agreed with a vast majority of the members to participate in the proximity talks."
"The decision to join the proximity talks based on giving the peace process and the U.S. efforts another opportunity. The U.S. guarantees, which were offered to the Palestinian leadership, were the reason behind accepting to join the talks," Abed Rabbo told reporters.
Hamas spokesman said that the Americans and the Israelis "want from Abbas to give a cover to the occupation to continue its crimes against our people."
Meanwhile, leaders of the Islamic Jihad (Holy War) movement announced their complete opposition to get back to the negotiations with Israel, adding that "the decision to get back to the talks is another mistake that the PLO is committing."
Khaled al-Batsh, a senior Islamic Jihad leader in Gaza, told Xinhua that the resumption of the talks "with the enemy, after it committed the most awful crimes in the history of humanity against the Palestinian people, is just giving this enemy a buoy of rescue. "
Well-informed official Palestinian sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Xinhua that during the joint meeting Abbas was faced by strong opposition, by the left-wing parties, members in the executive committee, in order to pass the decision to start the indirect talks with Israel.
The sources said that several left-wing groups, members in the PLO executive committee oppose the idea of resuming any direct or indirect negotiations with Israel, before the Jewish state clearly declare a full cessation of Jewish settlement in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Khaleda Jarrar, member of the left-wing Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), told Xinhua shortly before the meeting started that "in principle, the PFLP opposes the resumption of any peace talks because it is a manner that harms the Palestinian cause."
However, Jamal Nazzal, member of Fatah revolutionary council said that Fatah "is not eager for the negotiations with Israel, but accepted to go for proximity talks in order to show that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is the one who obstructs the talks and not President Abbas."
Last week, an Arab League Committee renewed its support to launch four-month proximity talks sponsored by the United States. The League had first time okayed the proximity talks in March, but it was not immediately launched after Israel announced a plan to build 1,600 housing units in a settlement near East Jerusalem.
The main differences between Israel and the Palestinians are focused on the permanent status issues, mainly the borders of the future Palestinian state, the issue of Jerusalem and the Jewish settlement in the West Bank and East Jerusalem as well as the Palestinian refugees' right of return.
The Palestinians are demanding the United States to oblige Israel to completely halt all settlement activities in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and also to respect all the commitments made in the previous agreements.
