ID :
42544
Sat, 01/24/2009 - 19:25
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/42544
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HAMAS EXPECTS RI TO HELP CREATE PRESSURE ON ISRAEL
Jakarta, Jan 24 (ANTARA) - Indonesia can play an important role in United Nations forums to pressure Israel into lifting its blockade of the Gaza Strip so that humanitarian aid can reach Gazans, a visiting Hamas official said.
"Indonesia along with other countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) can take concrete steps to pressure Israel to lift its blockade so that international humanitarian aid can be immediately distributed to Gazans," said Sammi Abu Uzair, a Hamas member working as a special aide to Palestine Prime Minister Ismail Haniye, in an interview with ANTARA here Saturday.
Uzair is making a five-day visit in Indonesia following Israel's three-week military offensive in Gaza since December 27, 2008 and its unilateral cease-fire declared last week.
The 22-day ground, air and sea offensive killed 1,330 people including children and women and injured 5,450 people, according to medical workers in Palestine.
The Palestinian Authority government said more than 4,000 houses had been destroyed and 17,000 other buildings including mosques, schools and hospital had been damaged after bombardment by the Israeli forces.
Uzair said during the blockade and under unceasing bombardments by Israel, Palestinians in Gaza lived miserably without food, electricity and water.
"The cruel attacks by Israel drew criticisms from various communities in the world who sympathize with Palestinians," he said.
He said Arab people in particular had enthusiastically supported Palestine and some of the governments in Middle East countries also supported them and only a few Arab governments had remained quiet.
In a live interview with state Radio Republic of Indonesia (RRI) Pro 3 FM , Uzair said that Israel was colonizing Palestine.
"They wage war not in self-defense and use armaments far more sophisticated than Hamas weapons," he said.
He said Israeli forces had also used phosphorous weapons which are banned internationally.
"They launched their attacks not in self-defense and they are indeed colonialists who must be fought," he said.
Therefore, he said, Israeli leaders, including prime minister Ehud Olmert, must be taken to the international criminal court to be held responsible for the Israeli forces' attacks on Gaza.
Uzair also touched on the role of the US government under new President Barack Obama.
He said President Obama once made an incorrect call on Hamas to stop its rocket attacks on Israel. "We will still see what his future policies will be but he once made a statement echoing Bush's attitude," he said.
President Obama would not be able to change US foreign policy on Palestine and Israel because the Jewish lobby in the US had a very strong influence on the US government, according to Uzair.
There will be no political change with regard to Palestine except minor changes on other countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan, he said.
But Uzair atill hoped the Obama government could protect the rights of the Palestinian people by abandoning his predecessor's policies.
About the existence of different factions in Palestine, the Hamas spokesman said there was no problem in the relations between Hamas and Fatah but their leaders indeed did have different views.
He said Fatah leaders were closer to Israel and the US and they had been arresting Palestinian fighters.
On Friday, Uzair i met with the chairman of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), Hidayat Nurwahid, and House of Representatives Speaker Agung Laksono on a seperate occasion.
***5***
"Indonesia along with other countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) can take concrete steps to pressure Israel to lift its blockade so that international humanitarian aid can be immediately distributed to Gazans," said Sammi Abu Uzair, a Hamas member working as a special aide to Palestine Prime Minister Ismail Haniye, in an interview with ANTARA here Saturday.
Uzair is making a five-day visit in Indonesia following Israel's three-week military offensive in Gaza since December 27, 2008 and its unilateral cease-fire declared last week.
The 22-day ground, air and sea offensive killed 1,330 people including children and women and injured 5,450 people, according to medical workers in Palestine.
The Palestinian Authority government said more than 4,000 houses had been destroyed and 17,000 other buildings including mosques, schools and hospital had been damaged after bombardment by the Israeli forces.
Uzair said during the blockade and under unceasing bombardments by Israel, Palestinians in Gaza lived miserably without food, electricity and water.
"The cruel attacks by Israel drew criticisms from various communities in the world who sympathize with Palestinians," he said.
He said Arab people in particular had enthusiastically supported Palestine and some of the governments in Middle East countries also supported them and only a few Arab governments had remained quiet.
In a live interview with state Radio Republic of Indonesia (RRI) Pro 3 FM , Uzair said that Israel was colonizing Palestine.
"They wage war not in self-defense and use armaments far more sophisticated than Hamas weapons," he said.
He said Israeli forces had also used phosphorous weapons which are banned internationally.
"They launched their attacks not in self-defense and they are indeed colonialists who must be fought," he said.
Therefore, he said, Israeli leaders, including prime minister Ehud Olmert, must be taken to the international criminal court to be held responsible for the Israeli forces' attacks on Gaza.
Uzair also touched on the role of the US government under new President Barack Obama.
He said President Obama once made an incorrect call on Hamas to stop its rocket attacks on Israel. "We will still see what his future policies will be but he once made a statement echoing Bush's attitude," he said.
President Obama would not be able to change US foreign policy on Palestine and Israel because the Jewish lobby in the US had a very strong influence on the US government, according to Uzair.
There will be no political change with regard to Palestine except minor changes on other countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan, he said.
But Uzair atill hoped the Obama government could protect the rights of the Palestinian people by abandoning his predecessor's policies.
About the existence of different factions in Palestine, the Hamas spokesman said there was no problem in the relations between Hamas and Fatah but their leaders indeed did have different views.
He said Fatah leaders were closer to Israel and the US and they had been arresting Palestinian fighters.
On Friday, Uzair i met with the chairman of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), Hidayat Nurwahid, and House of Representatives Speaker Agung Laksono on a seperate occasion.
***5***
