Hamas: Won't respect three-way deals

GAZA, Sept. 20 (UPI) -- Hamas won't respect any three-way agreements made by the Palestinian Authority, Israel and the United States, the militant group's prime minister says.

Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, speaking Sunday in a Gaza City stadium during a sermon marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan, said his group would not recognize any deals reached during an upcoming three-way meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and U.S. President Barack Obama, The Jerusalem Post reported.

"No one has the right to give up on Jerusalem or the (Palestinian) refugees," Haniyeh said. "Not the PLO and no any other factor can sign an agreement hurting the Palestinian people's principles and rights. Any agreement reached will not be respected by our people."

Haniyeh blasted proposals made by U.S. Mideast envoy George Mitchell as "no different than offers by previous U.S. administrations," which he said were meant to achieve a compromise at the expense of Palestinians' rights and Jerusalem, since, Haniyeh asserted, "(West Bank) settlement blocs will remain in place," the Post reported.