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| Mahmoud Abbas |
(Scroll down for video) Abbas told a television news station that Hamas is not a terror organization, according to video uploaded to the internet.
Hamas is committed to peaceful resistance and there is no need to label it a terrorist organization, the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, said.
In an exclusive interview with Russia Today Weekend, the Palestinian president, responded to reports that the European Union is considering taking Hamas off the terrorist list.
"The chances are quite high that the Hamas government is recognized as legitimate. If Hamas is committed to the ceasefire and if it openly agrees to stick to the peaceful popular resistance, I do not see much difference between their policy and ours. In this case, there is no need to label them as a terrorist organization," Abbas said.
He praised the upgrade of Palestine at the United Nations as a great achievement for the Palestinian people, saying that he hopes a solution will be found through peaceful means as violence will only lead to the destruction of Palestine. He warned, however, that if Israel's policy on settlements in the West Bank remains unchanged, it remains non negotiable.
"All Arabs and Muslims are ready to have peace with Israel. Arabs will not attack Israel after its withdrawal from the occupied territories," he said.
Abbas also rebuked Arab countries after failing to send millions of dollars to the Palestinian Authority once a month they have committed to.
