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Palestinian PM Calls for Jihad During Visit to Iran
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?r=279&c=731983&l=1009&ctl=153B0A5:A6F02AD83191E160A4DE26233FE119D99574F7DCC14957C0 Ismail Haniyeh
says his Hamas-led government will never recognize Israel, will
continue resistance until Palestinians 'liberate' Jerusalem
Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh says his Hamas-led
government will never recognize Israel and will continue to fight for
the liberation of Jerusalem.





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Ismail Haniyeh, left, and Iranian Vice President Parviz Davoudi, in
Tehran, 8 Dec 06Addressing worshippers at Friday prayers in Tehran,
Mr. Haniyeh said Hamas would not give in to U.S. and Zionist pressure
to stop the jihad and resistance. He said Hamas will never recognize
what he called "the usurpation of Palestinian land" or accept previous
peace agreements with Israel.

Mr. Haniyeh's visit underscores growing Iranian influence in the
region. Iran has close ties with two of Israel's arch enemies: Hamas
in the Gaza Strip and Hezbollah in Lebanon. That is of deep concern to
Israel, and also to Palestinian moderates, like human rights activist
Bassam Eid.

"No doubt that Iran is playing a, let's say, very bloody role in the
region here. And I am really so surprised [at] how the Hamas movement
is trying to take care on the [getting involved in] Iranian interests
rather than on the Palestinian interests," he said.

Israel sees Iran's alliance with Hamas and Hezbollah as especially
dangerous in light of the Iranian nuclear program. It was just over a
year ago that Iran's president threatened to wipe Israel off the map.

"I think that we all agree that first and foremost, Iran cannot be
nuclear," says Israeli spokeswoman Miri Eisen. "I think this is
something that there is great agreement on it in the international
community."

But Israel believes that the Western powers are moving way too slowly.
It has warned that if the international community does not take tough
action to stop Iran's nuclear program, Israel might act on its own.


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