Hamas distances itself from Bin Laden
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Sunday 23 April 2006 3:58 PM GMT

 

The Hamas government has faced boycotts from the West

Hamas has spoken out to distance itself from al-Qaeda following a statement from Osama bin Laden condemning the West for its boycott of the new Palestinian government.

In an audiotaped message broadcast by Aljazeera on Sunday, the al-Qaeda leader said the decision by Western governments to halt aid to the Hamas-led government and impose other sanctions proved the West was in a "crusader war" with Islam.

Commenting on the message shortly afterwards, Sami Abu Zuhri, a spokesman for Hamas, said the group's ideology was "totally different" from that of Bin Laden and al-Qaeda.

"What Osama bin Laden said is his opinion, but Hamas has its own positions which are different to the ones expressed by Bin Laden," he said.

However, he said that what he called the "international siege on the Palestinian people" would inevitably lead to tensions in the Arab and Islamic world.

Tensions

"It's natural that this tension is going to create an impression that there is a Western-Israeli alliance working against the Palestinians," Abu Zuhri said.

"It's natural that this tension is going to create an impression that there is a Western-Israeli alliance working against the Palestinians" Sami Abu Zuhri, Hamas spokesman

He added that Hamas was "very keen to have good relations with the West" but said that its current policies were inflaming tensions.

"We say once again that if the Western siege continues against the Hamas ... it will create more tensions in the Palestinian street and in the Arab world." 

"We reiterate that the West should stop this aggression because it will only result in a big response from the Arab street and the Palestinian street."

In the past, Hamas leaders have distanced themselves from al-Qaeda, saying their struggle is only against Israeli occupation and does not fit into the group's worldwide radical Islamist effort.

Agencies
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