17 March 2009

Two high-profile European parliamentary delegations were set to leave for Syria to meet with Hamas's political leadership there as part of European moves aimed at ending isolation of the Movement.

The Quds Press quoted those sources as affirming that the two delegations would land in Syria within few days, and would comprise 15 lawmakers from Britain, Scotland, Ireland, Greece, and Italy, adding that they would hold talks with the Movement's leadership in Damascus.

According to the sources, the discussion would focus on recognizing Hamas as a legitimate Movement that was duly and democratically elected by the Palestinian people in 2006 to rule them, and thus the international isolation of the Movement must end, and Europe should reformulate its relationship with the Movement.

The sources, furthermore, added that three years of international isolation of Hamas proved that the Movement could not be sidelined and ignored in the regional issues if the international community indeed wants peace to prevail in the region.

The European legislators are expected to pay a visit to Palestinian refugee camps in Syria to listen to demands of the refugees, especially their right to return to their homes, from which they were driven out by Israeli gangs at gunpoint in 1948.

Human rights activists across Europe were active in leading signature campaigns in Europe to delete Hamas's name from the EU list of terrorist organizations with the aim to start direct EU-Hamas talks.

In a related matter, Hamas's lady lawmaker Dr. Maryam Saleh met with Norwegian delegation representing syndicate unions in that European country at her office in Ramallah city.

In a written press release she issued, Saleh revealed that she discussed with the Norwegian delegation political developments and the daily suffering of the Palestinian people in the West Bank as a result of the Israeli repressive policies.

For their part, the Norwegians asserted their readiness to offer all kind of help possible to the Palestinian people "out of their belief in the justice of the Palestinian cause", and as part of their "humanitarian obligation to alleviate suffering of the oppressed Palestinian people".

Anti-siege committee urges Arabs and Muslims to follow European brave steps

The governmental anti-siege committee has called on the Arab and Muslim Ummah to follow the footstep of the European delegations that bravely challenged the embargo on Gaza Strip and worked hard to break the unjust siege on it.

In a written press release, the committee's spokesman Adel Zourob hailed the stand of the British "life line" convoy, the Libyan "Viva Palestina" convoy, ad the Scottish "Justice for Gaza" convoy, saying that the arrival of those convoys to Gaza was great victory for the Palestinian people's will and determination.

"As we warmly welcomed the foreign supporters with flowers and hospitality, we now bid them a farewell in the same way for the great efforts and for the sacrifices they have made for the Palestinian people in Gaza", underlined Zourob.

He said that the besieged Palestinian people in Gaza Strip were waiting for similar brave steps from their Muslim and Arab brothers to end the siege and to open the Rafah crossing point permanently.

For his part, Hamdi Sha'ath, the president of the committee, expressed hope that more European convoys would head to Gaza Strip with the aim to break the oppressive blockade on the 1.5 million individuals in the tiny Strip.

"The convoys registered new victory against the Israeli occupation and foiled Israeli attempts to isolate, humiliate, and starve the Gaza Strip, which violates all international laws and conventions", he added.