The leader of a Palestinian political party, Mustafa Barghouti, said Sunday on CNN’s “Fareed Zakaria GPS” that it was “not true” Hamas is attacking women, children and grandmothers despite the widespread videos of the kidnappings and murders of Israeli citizens.
Zakaria said, “I want to make sure that viewers to understand Palestinian Authority that they have been opponent of Hamas so you are not affiliated with Hamas. You represent the Palestinian Authority which has control over parts of the West Bank. All of that said, what is your reaction to what you have seen so far?”
Barghouti said, “Well, first of all, I’m not part of the Palestinian Authority as a matter of fact I represent a democratic Palestinian movement called Palestinian National Initiative which is not Hamas. We have of course i’m not affiliated with Hamas. But I think this situation that has evolved is a direct result of the continuation of the longest occupation in modern history. Israeli occupation of Palestinian land since 1967.”
Zakaria said, “What Hamas is doing, is they are targeting israeli civilians, women, children, grandmothers.”
Barghouti said, “No, they are not.”
Zakaria said, “Isn’t that classic terrorists? They’re not fighting the government. They’re fighting ordinary people.”
Barghouti said, “That is one way of putting it but it is not true. I think Hamas mainly attacked military establishments, military installations. Most of the people there, they have arrested and taken as military people. I did not accept attacking any civilian.”
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