Hamas has rejected the normalization of diplomatic relations between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Israel.
Mousa Abu Marzouk, a Hamas representative for external relations, told Sputnik in an interview on Friday that the agreement undermined the efforts to resolve the Palestinian issue.
“We, the Hamas movement and all Palestinian institutions, firmly reject the UAE-Israel deal.
“It jeopardises (the efforts to settle) the Palestinian issue and gives (Israel) an opportunity to continue covering its crimes toward the people, land, and holy sites,” Marzouk said.
The movement considers the UAE-Israel accord to be “a stab in the back of the Palestinian people,” the Hamas official noted.
Israel and the UAE reached an agreement on Aug. 13 to normalise relations, a deal slammed by the Palestinians who called it a “treacherous stab in the back”.
Under the agreement, which was brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump, Israel said it had agreed to suspend the annexation of parts of the occupied West Bank.
However, hours later Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he remained “committed to annexing parts of the West Bank.”
Mohammed bin Zayed (MBZ), the crown prince of Abu Dhabi, tweeted: “During a call with President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu, an agreement was reached to stop further Israeli annexation of Palestinian territories.”
“The UAE and Israel also agreed to cooperation and setting a roadmap towards establishing a bilateral relationship,” he added.
The UAE will now become the first Gulf Arab state and the third Arab nation, after Egypt and Jordan, to have active diplomatic ties with Israel. (Sputnik/NAN)