GAZA, May 4 (UPI) -- Both Hamas and its rival Fatah movement criticized Israeli Prime Minister-designate Ehud Olmert's policy statement as a "real declaration of war."
Hamas Spokesman Sami Abu Zahri said Thursday Olmert's speech to the Knesset "reaffirmed once again Israel's aggressive approach to our people, our cause and our nation."
"There is nothing new or move towards the better," he added.
Commenting on Olmert's threats to carry out unilateral steps in the absence of a Palestinian partner, Abu Zahri said, "late president Yasser Arafat recognized Israel and signed the Oslo peace agreements, and despite that the occupation authorities did not consider him as a partner... The problem is with the occupation and not with our people or with Hamas."
Abu Zahri stressed that Israel should be requested to change and not the Palestinian Authority. "We are defending ourselves against killings, and Israeli terrorism and that is why change must come from Israel and not from the victim."
The Hamas official also warned that Israel's plan to annex big settlements in the West Bank is tantamount to "a real declaration of war which we will confront by all possible means."
For his part, chief Palestinian negotiator, Saeb Erekat said Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addressed an open invitation to Israel to resume deadlocked peace negotiations on the basis of ending Israeli occupation of territories grabbed in 1967 as stipulated by the Road Map.
He called on Olmert to disregard unilateral measures, including annexation of big settlements and construction of the separation barrier.
On Olmert's claim about the absence of a Palestinian partner, Erekat said "negotiations is the responsibility of the president of the PLO's Executive Committee and the department of negotiations, and as such if Mr. Olmert wants to resume negotiations there is a ready partner in the person of President Mahmoud Abbas."
