Post by Teddy Bear on Mar 8, 2012 18:07:30 GMT
Yesterday, the BBC reported that following an interview by its Jon Donnison with several Hamas leaders in Gaza, they affirmed that Hamas would NOT attack Israel in any war it might have with Iran. However, today this seems to contradict completely a report from the Fars News Agency in Iran, where the same Hamas leaders deny completely what was told to the BBC. According to them...BBC Persian's website alleged in a report on Wednesday that the No. 2 Hamas official in the Gaza Strip has assured that his movement would not take any action in the face of an Israeli attack on Iran.
Al-Zahar strongly rejected the BBC claim as unfounded and a lie.
I'm wondering how long it will take the BBC to amend their own report, and what difference it might make to future accounts given to them by the likes of Hamas.
My guess is they will let it run as is, without amendment, and it won't make any difference in the future. That's what Hamas wanted to tell them, and that's good enough for the BBC - whatever the agenda. In fact, the BBC still have their original article featuring 4th on the order of importance for Mid-East events as I write.
(Hat-Tip Sue)
Here's what was reported by the BBC:
Hamas denies it will attack Israel in any war with Iran
By Jon Donnison 7 March 2012 Last updated at 12:49
BBC News, Gaza City
The Israeli media has speculated that Hamas would fire rockets from Gaza in any war with Iran
Leaders of the Palestinian Islamist movement, Hamas, say they will not help Iran militarily in any conflict between Israel and the Islamic Republic.
There is speculation in Israel that if it attacked Iran's nuclear facilities, it could face rocket fire from Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Both are long-time allies of Iran.
But Mahmoud Zahhar, a senior leader of Hamas in Gaza, denied the group would get involved and told the BBC: "We are not part of any political axis."
"If Israel attacks us we will respond. If they don't, we will not get involved in any other regional conflict," he added.
Mr Zahhar questioned Hamas's ability to offer support from the Palestinian territory to the south of Israel, even if it wanted to.
"Don't exaggerate our power. We are still suffering from the occupation, the siege and two wars in recent years," he said.
Israel tightened its blockade of Gaza in 2007 after Hamas seized control of the territory from forces loyal to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and his Fatah movement.
Ideological differences
Another senior Hamas official in Gaza, who did not want to be named, also insisted that Hamas would stay out of any conflict between Israel and Iran.
"What could we realistically do anyway? If we were to attack Israel, the response would be much stronger," he said.
Hamas has long relied on Iran for funding. It is estimated that tens of millions of dollars are transferred to Gaza every year.
However, the same Hamas official suggested they were not strongly aligned in their beliefs.
"Iran has been very generous with its money, but ideologically we have little in common," he said.
Although both Hamas and Iran are hostile towards Israel, which regards the Palestinian group as a terrorist organisation, Hamas supporters are Sunni Muslims while Iran has Shia Muslim majority.
This makes it much closer to Hezbollah, a Shia Islamist movement which operates in southern Lebanon.
"I don't like the Iranians and the way they try to use their influence in the Arab world," commented the Hamas official to whom I spoke.
Syria backlash
In recent months, the uprising in Syria has created tensions between Hamas and the Iranian leadership.
Hamas and its political leader, Khaled Meshaal, were based in Syria until recently
While Iran continues to back the Syrian President, Bashar al-Assad, last month for the first time, Hamas publicly criticised the government in Damascus.
Speaking in Cairo, Hamas's Prime Minister in Gaza, Ismail Haniya, also commended "the brave Syrian people that are moving toward democracy and reform".
Hamas has pulled all its leadership out of Damascus, including the head of its political bureau, Khaled Meshaal.
The movement is looking for a new base.
Egypt, Jordan, Qatar and Turkey are all possibilities.
Signs of spring
"Hamas's relationship with Iran has always been one of necessity not choice," says Nasser Abdul Karim, a political economist at Birzeit University in the West Bank.
He believes the Arab Spring and the recent tremendous upheaval in the Middle East have led Hamas to rethink.
It has close links to the Muslim Brotherhood, which has become a powerful political force in post-revolutionary Egypt, controlling almost half of the seats in parliament.
Mr Abdul Karim suggests that Hamas will now look to consolidate its relationships with Egypt, Turkey and Qatar.
Qatar, one of the richest countries in the Arab world, could be a main source of revenue.
The Gulf nation has recently been pushing for a reconciliation deal between Hamas and its long-time rival faction, Fatah, which dominates the Palestinian Authority and is in power in the West Bank.
Although the figures have not been confirmed, Mr Abdul Karim claims Qatar offered up to $2bn (£1.27bn) in aid to Hamas and the PA in order to try and push the deal through.
Now this one from Fars:
Al-Zahar strongly rejected the BBC claim as unfounded and a lie.
I'm wondering how long it will take the BBC to amend their own report, and what difference it might make to future accounts given to them by the likes of Hamas.
My guess is they will let it run as is, without amendment, and it won't make any difference in the future. That's what Hamas wanted to tell them, and that's good enough for the BBC - whatever the agenda. In fact, the BBC still have their original article featuring 4th on the order of importance for Mid-East events as I write.
(Hat-Tip Sue)
Here's what was reported by the BBC:
Hamas denies it will attack Israel in any war with Iran
By Jon Donnison 7 March 2012 Last updated at 12:49
BBC News, Gaza City
The Israeli media has speculated that Hamas would fire rockets from Gaza in any war with Iran
Leaders of the Palestinian Islamist movement, Hamas, say they will not help Iran militarily in any conflict between Israel and the Islamic Republic.
There is speculation in Israel that if it attacked Iran's nuclear facilities, it could face rocket fire from Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Both are long-time allies of Iran.
But Mahmoud Zahhar, a senior leader of Hamas in Gaza, denied the group would get involved and told the BBC: "We are not part of any political axis."
"If Israel attacks us we will respond. If they don't, we will not get involved in any other regional conflict," he added.
Mr Zahhar questioned Hamas's ability to offer support from the Palestinian territory to the south of Israel, even if it wanted to.
"Don't exaggerate our power. We are still suffering from the occupation, the siege and two wars in recent years," he said.
Israel tightened its blockade of Gaza in 2007 after Hamas seized control of the territory from forces loyal to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and his Fatah movement.
Ideological differences
Another senior Hamas official in Gaza, who did not want to be named, also insisted that Hamas would stay out of any conflict between Israel and Iran.
"What could we realistically do anyway? If we were to attack Israel, the response would be much stronger," he said.
I don't like the Iranians and the way they try to use their influence in the Arab world”
Unnamed Hamas official
Hamas has long relied on Iran for funding. It is estimated that tens of millions of dollars are transferred to Gaza every year.
However, the same Hamas official suggested they were not strongly aligned in their beliefs.
"Iran has been very generous with its money, but ideologically we have little in common," he said.
Although both Hamas and Iran are hostile towards Israel, which regards the Palestinian group as a terrorist organisation, Hamas supporters are Sunni Muslims while Iran has Shia Muslim majority.
This makes it much closer to Hezbollah, a Shia Islamist movement which operates in southern Lebanon.
"I don't like the Iranians and the way they try to use their influence in the Arab world," commented the Hamas official to whom I spoke.
Syria backlash
In recent months, the uprising in Syria has created tensions between Hamas and the Iranian leadership.
Hamas and its political leader, Khaled Meshaal, were based in Syria until recently
While Iran continues to back the Syrian President, Bashar al-Assad, last month for the first time, Hamas publicly criticised the government in Damascus.
Speaking in Cairo, Hamas's Prime Minister in Gaza, Ismail Haniya, also commended "the brave Syrian people that are moving toward democracy and reform".
Hamas has pulled all its leadership out of Damascus, including the head of its political bureau, Khaled Meshaal.
The movement is looking for a new base.
Egypt, Jordan, Qatar and Turkey are all possibilities.
Signs of spring
"Hamas's relationship with Iran has always been one of necessity not choice," says Nasser Abdul Karim, a political economist at Birzeit University in the West Bank.
He believes the Arab Spring and the recent tremendous upheaval in the Middle East have led Hamas to rethink.
It has close links to the Muslim Brotherhood, which has become a powerful political force in post-revolutionary Egypt, controlling almost half of the seats in parliament.
Mr Abdul Karim suggests that Hamas will now look to consolidate its relationships with Egypt, Turkey and Qatar.
Qatar, one of the richest countries in the Arab world, could be a main source of revenue.
The Gulf nation has recently been pushing for a reconciliation deal between Hamas and its long-time rival faction, Fatah, which dominates the Palestinian Authority and is in power in the West Bank.
Although the figures have not been confirmed, Mr Abdul Karim claims Qatar offered up to $2bn (£1.27bn) in aid to Hamas and the PA in order to try and push the deal through.
Now this one from Fars:
Hamas Rejects BBC Claims, Vows to Give Crushing Response to Israeli Aggression against Iran
TEHRAN (FNA)- Mahmoud al-Zahar, a senior official of the Palestinian Hamas movement, strongly rejected a recent BBC report which quoted him as saying that Hamas would take no action in case of an Israeli invasion of Iran, and warned that any Israel or US attack on Iran will be reciprocated by Hamas's crushing response to the Zionists.
BBC Persian's website alleged in a report on Wednesday that the No. 2 Hamas official in the Gaza Strip has assured that his movement would not take any action in the face of an Israeli attack on Iran.
Al-Zahar strongly rejected the BBC claim as unfounded and a lie.
"Retaliation with utmost power is the position of Hamas with regard to a Zionist war on Iran," Zahar told FNA on Wednesday afternoon.
Zahar rejected the possibility of any Israeli aggression against Iran, but meantime, reiterated that Hamas will give a crushing response to not only the Zionists but also to "whoever helping them" in such an attack.
Israel and its close ally the United States have recently intensified their war rhetoric against Iran. The two arch foes of the Islamic Republic accuse Iran of seeking a nuclear weapon, while they have never presented any corroborative document to substantiate their allegations. Both Washington and Tel Aviv possess advanced weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear warheads.
Iran vehemently denies the charges, insisting that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only. Tehran stresses that the country has always pursued a civilian path to provide power to the growing number of Iranian population, whose fossil fuel would eventually run dry.
Iran has, in return, warned that it would target Israel and its worldwide interests in case it comes under attack by the Tel Aviv.
Following the US and Israeli war rhetoric against Tehran, the Iranian Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, said Tehran has an array of options for confronting the US pressures and sanctions.
Addressing millions of Friday Prayers worshippers on Tehran University Campus in February, Ayatollah Khamenei pointed to the US threats that 'all options are on the table', and underlined that the threat of war is harmful to the US interests and war can be ten times more harmful to that country.
"The US threats are sign of its failure in the face of Islamic Republic's discourse and indicates that they cannot create a logical response to Iran's reasoning," the Leader stated at the time.
"That's why it (the US) resorts to force; they do not have any logic except using force and have no way but bloodshed to go forward."
Ayatollah Khamenei further underlined that US and others must know and they know that Iran has threats too in face of oil sanctions and "we impose them whenever it is necessary".
TEHRAN (FNA)- Mahmoud al-Zahar, a senior official of the Palestinian Hamas movement, strongly rejected a recent BBC report which quoted him as saying that Hamas would take no action in case of an Israeli invasion of Iran, and warned that any Israel or US attack on Iran will be reciprocated by Hamas's crushing response to the Zionists.
BBC Persian's website alleged in a report on Wednesday that the No. 2 Hamas official in the Gaza Strip has assured that his movement would not take any action in the face of an Israeli attack on Iran.
Al-Zahar strongly rejected the BBC claim as unfounded and a lie.
"Retaliation with utmost power is the position of Hamas with regard to a Zionist war on Iran," Zahar told FNA on Wednesday afternoon.
Zahar rejected the possibility of any Israeli aggression against Iran, but meantime, reiterated that Hamas will give a crushing response to not only the Zionists but also to "whoever helping them" in such an attack.
Israel and its close ally the United States have recently intensified their war rhetoric against Iran. The two arch foes of the Islamic Republic accuse Iran of seeking a nuclear weapon, while they have never presented any corroborative document to substantiate their allegations. Both Washington and Tel Aviv possess advanced weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear warheads.
Iran vehemently denies the charges, insisting that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only. Tehran stresses that the country has always pursued a civilian path to provide power to the growing number of Iranian population, whose fossil fuel would eventually run dry.
Iran has, in return, warned that it would target Israel and its worldwide interests in case it comes under attack by the Tel Aviv.
Following the US and Israeli war rhetoric against Tehran, the Iranian Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, said Tehran has an array of options for confronting the US pressures and sanctions.
Addressing millions of Friday Prayers worshippers on Tehran University Campus in February, Ayatollah Khamenei pointed to the US threats that 'all options are on the table', and underlined that the threat of war is harmful to the US interests and war can be ten times more harmful to that country.
"The US threats are sign of its failure in the face of Islamic Republic's discourse and indicates that they cannot create a logical response to Iran's reasoning," the Leader stated at the time.
"That's why it (the US) resorts to force; they do not have any logic except using force and have no way but bloodshed to go forward."
Ayatollah Khamenei further underlined that US and others must know and they know that Iran has threats too in face of oil sanctions and "we impose them whenever it is necessary".
