Hamas: We don't give no respect

Remember when the EUdiots and others were falling over themselves to explain that the Mecca agreement between Hamas and Fatah meant that Hamas was moderating? It was based on language that Hamas promised to "respect" previous agreements of the PA.

An interview with "Dr." Mahmoud Al-Zahar, co-counder of Hamas and current deputy in the Palestinian Legislative Council (as well as former foreign minister for the PA), explains the Mecca agreement a bit further from Hamas' perspective:

Dr, Zahhar said that "what happened in Mecca agreement were four issues; firstly , the agreements and laws that are related with the Palestinian issue which was signed by Arab countries and the PLO, but we didn’t mean (Oslo agreements), because it is known here that we did not recognize the Oslo Agreement and we will not recognize it at all. Also, the international agreements is the Geneva agreement which related to the international law. The humanitarian law which are war, prisoners of war and others. In addition, there are Arab cooperation agreements in security, economic and others.

"Regarding the word " respect" or " accept" .. if I respect your views , it doesn't mean that I accept your views. So , the saying that we are accepting the Oslo agreement is not true"

Q: You mention the word " respect" which evoked the debate recently that it is an introduction to recognize " Israel" ?

A: What does commitment mean in Law ?? does respect mean commitment ?? If respect means commitment , then why the two words are different in Language ..they are surely different". If Hamas wanted to recognize "Israel" , we will say it frankly. Hamas does not have the intention to recognize "Israel" at all because we will contradict the Quran with that in the Israa' verse "7" and will contradict ourselves that the occupation should be eliminated.

Q: Some said that "Accepting Hamas of Palestinian State on 67 borders is considered a retreat of the Hamas project " Palestine From Sea to River" ?

Zahar : If you read Hamas Charter , we were ready to establish a state on any "Span". That mean : we are ready to establish that state on less than 67 borders or more than that but that doesn't mean that we will leave the whole land… this is a clear point. The interpretations are Zionist interpretations and some other Palestinian factions , who leave the Palestinian issue at all , took these interpretations.

Q: What is the distinction between the political program of Hamas and the political program to the unity government, Which led by one of Hamas leaders Ismail Haniya?

A: The unity government duration of time is three years but Hamas program is not linked to time. Hamas even after the liberation of Palestine, is looking to the Arab and Islamic world as an Islamic state, forming the Arab-Islamic forces unity.

A couple of observations:

• Islam is a legal-based religion, and therefore since the word "respect" is meaningless in a legal context, Hamas could claim to "respect" agreements knowing full well that they were not agreeing to anything. Zahar is explicit about that.
• When he claims that accepting Israel's existence is against the Koran, he is tying Hamas' terror with religion. This means that the Saudi "peace" proposal where the "entire Arab world" would recognize Israel is known initially to be a sham - obviously, the large percentage of the Arab world that accepts Hamas' interpretation of the Koran can never recognize Israel - theologically.
  
• The ultimate goal (which is clear in the Hamas charter) is not getting rid of Israel but establishing a global Islamic 'ummah, similar to Iran's goal.