Hamas: Cheney’s statement provocative, affirms collusion in crimes

The Hamas Movement said on Saturday evening that American vice president Dick Cheney”s backing to “Israel”s right of self defense in face of missiles launched from the Gaza Strip” constituted a provocation against the Palestinian people.

Fawzi Barhoum, a Hamas spokesman in Gaza, said in a press release that Cheney”s statement proved anew that the USA was an accomplice in Israel”s crimes against the Palestinian people. He further described the statement as “completely biased in favor of Israeli occupation and unfair towards our people”s rights”.

Such “provocative” statements add to the “holocaust” in Gaza and provide “legitimacy” and a “cover” for such crimes, the spokesman elaborated.

Cheney had also said that his country would not pressure Israel to adopt any step that might threaten its security.

He told a press conference jointly held with Israeli premier Ehud Olmert that the USA”s commitment to Israel”s security was “enduring and unshakable” and that Israel was entitled “to defend itself against terrorism and rocket attacks and other threats from forces dedicated to Israel”s destruction”.