MP Nicolas: Hamas Primary Palestinian Negotiator

Source: nowlebanon.com, 09-01-2009
Change and Reform bloc MP Nabil Nicolas has lauded Hamas for being "victorious" in its resistance, "a thing no Arab country could do."
"This victory comes after the [Lebanese] Resistance's victory in the 2006 July War," Nicolas said in an interview with NBN television on Friday, adding that the Gaza crisis was "a political and military victory" for Hamas.
Nicolas said that the international community acknowledged Hamas and stated that the Islamic party was now the primary Palestinian negotiator, rather than Palestinian Authority President Mahmud Abbas.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1860, which was passed Thursday to end the fighting in the Gaza Strip, "is 70% in 'Israel's' favor," he told NBN.
On Arab states' stance toward Gaza, Nicolas said, "We are not requesting Arab countries defend Hamas, but we are asking them to at least defend civilians." The "countdown" for "Israel" had begun, the MP added, saying he feared certain Arab regimes would collapse after the end of the Gaza crisis. Nicolas also slammed "certain" Arab states for implicitly supporting the state of "Israel".
And on Lebanese affairs, the MP said there had been no violation of UNSCR 1701 by Hizbullah, unlike the impression some parties, which he declined to name, had aimed to create. The area in South Lebanon from where the rockets were launched on "Israel" on Thursday was under the authority of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and the Lebanese state, he added. "Hizbullah is not present there." Nicolas stressed that there was an "Israeli" conspiracy on Lebanon, which necessitated the containment rather than "exaggeration" of the rocket-launching.
Nicolas said he believed UNIFIL may be targeted. Should any international forces be deployed in Gaza, he added, "'Israel' may attempt to say: if you want to have an international force in Gaza, you have to take into consideration that it did not change the situation in Lebanon."