Hamas praises Russian efforts on Palestine issue

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) – A senior member of the Palestine resistance movement Hamas on Wednesday praised Russian efforts in bringing a settlement between Palestine and Israel.

Mousa Mohammed Abu Marzouk said at a news conference in Moscow that Russia was restoring the balance of power in the region. Abu Marzouk, however, condemned the policy of some Arab states, saying that they were acting against Palestinian interests.

"Russia creates a counterbalance to the U.S. in the region, thus restore the balance. Also, Russia has good relations with the majority of the Palestinian opposition groups and can contribute to the inter-Palestinian reunification. Russia has an influence in Israel and this is important as well," he said.

Abu Marzouk, who held discussions with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, raised the issue of blockade of the Gaza Strip by the Israeli forces. During the talks, he said Russia reaffirmed position regarding the solution of the Palestinian-Israeli problem.

Referring to Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip, Abu Marzouk said any aggression must be widely protested.

"One has a bomb, another is unarmed. We must raise our voices against the strong, who use their force against the weak," he said.

He also recalled that besides regular Israeli air raids, the Gaza Strip also suffers from the deprivation of basic needs.

"The blockade of the Gaza Strip has been lasting from 2007. We are prohibited to import food, medicines, our unemployment equals 60-70%, people suffer from the lack of water. The infrastructure is destroyed, social services do not work. We have electricity only 4-6 hours per day, sometimes 8 hours but sometimes 2 hours," the official said.

Asked about Hamas refusal to join the plan worked out in Oslo in 1994, suggesting the establishment of two states within the 1967 borders, Abu Marzouk said that the accord envisaged creating two states by 1999. “It did not happen and therefore the movement, chose the path of resistance against the Israeli occupation,” he said.

Palestinian-Israeli negotiations collapsed in April 2014, after Israel did not stop settlement activity and refused to accept the two-state solution based on the pre-1967 borders. Israel also reneged on the promise to release Palestinian detainees from Israeli jails.