Al-Qaida came out against Hamas’ purported willingness to support a future Israeli-Palestinian peace accord.
Osama bin Laden’s deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri, issued a statement on the Internet Tuesday attacking the Palestinian Islamist group after its leaders told former U.S. President Jimmy Carter they could support a future peace accord if it passes a Palestinian referendum.
“As for peace agreements with Israel, they spoke of putting it to a referendum despite considering it a
breach of Shariah,” Zawahiri said, referring to Muslim law.
“How can they put a matter that violates Shariah to a referendum?”
Hamas has made clear, however, that it would continue in its refusal to recognize the Jewish state no matter what peace terms Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas reaches with the Israelis.
The referendum demanded by Hamas also would have to include millions of “exiled” Palestinians, many of them radicalized refugees, making it a non-starter in terms of logistics and of the possibility of endorsing a vision of two-state coexistence.
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