4 April 2009

GAZA, (PIC)-- Dr. Ismail Radwan, a senior Hamas leader, stated Thursday that the Israeli occupation is still in a state of turmoil after its failure in its wanton aggression on the Gaza Strip and is trying now to market an alleged victory to raise the battered morale of its troops through fabricating news about the Hamas Movement.

In a press statement to the PIC, Dr. Radwan stressed that the Israeli allegation that Hamas established a military academy in Gaza to train its fighters to confront the IOF troops after its failure in the Israeli war on Gaza is a desperate attempt to cover up the IOF troops' defeat and the Palestinian resistance's triumph.

The Hamas leader pointed out that the drills carried out by Hamas armed wing Al-Qassam Brigades is an ongoing and regular process and responsibility aimed to enhance the competence and readiness of Al-Qassam fighters to defend the Palestinian people against Israel.

He added that there are police academies in Gaza to graduate efficient and trained policemen and cultivate the work of the security apparatuses in order to assume their responsibilities properly.

Dr. Radwan underlined that the activities of these academies are not related to the drills carried out by Al-Qassam Brigades in the framework of its ongoing preparations for the defense of the Palestinian people according to the capabilities available.

Hamdan welcomes European calls for opening dialog with Hamas

In a separate development, Hamas representative in Lebanon Osama Hamdan welcomed all European calls for opening dialog with his Movement, calling on the European states to change their policies towards Hamas and to recognize the Palestinian people's rights.

Commenting on British remarks on European openness to Hamas, Hamdan said that his Movement dealt positively with all meetings with European officials, but the problem is not in his Movement, but in the European misunderstanding, the policy of double standards perused towards the Palestinians and the unlimited support for Israel.

In another context, Dr. Mariam Saleh, a member of Hamas parliamentary bloc, and a number of female ex-detainees met Wednesday in the headquarters of Al-Dhameer foundation for human rights with a British delegation of human rights activists on a visit to the West Bank in order to probe the Israeli military courts.

Dr. Saleh and the ex-detainees briefed the delegation about the conditions of arrest and detention in Israeli jails with a view to preparing a detailed human rights report on the incarceration conditions of Palestinian prisoners and their arrest circumstances.

The lawmaker highlighted the recent Israeli arbitrary restrictions imposed on Palestinian prisoners who already live in miserable conditions in Israeli jails.