Assad defends "democratically elected" Hamas

Source: nowlebanon, 09-01-2009

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad sat down with CNN's Cal Perry earlier this week to discuss his country's stance on the latest Gaza crisis.

Assad drew a distinction between Hamas leadership, some of whom are based in Damascus, and Hamas "grassroots."

"They are leaders, but they are not the grassroots. The grassroots live in Gaza, in the Palestinian territory. So they have to listen to the grassroots. It's not about organization, it's about 100 million now in Gaza, and another few million living in the West Bank. You have to listen to those people. How did Hamas come to its position in the government? By election. And this election was supervised by Europeans and by Americans, including ex-President Jimmy Carter," Assad said.

Assad also critiqued the description of Hamas as a terrorist organization when it had come about through popular vote. "And they said, this is a democratic election. So the question, how could you have a terrorist organization elected democratically? They have to revise this contradiction. This means the whole people are terrorists, and it doesn't work. You cannot accuse the whole people [of being] terrorist people," he told CNN.

"They are influential. They are strong. They have the support of the people from outside Hamas, only 15 percent of their voters, who have said [to] them a few years ago when they became in the government, only 15 percent of them are members in Hamas. The others are ... non-partisan people."

Assad said his country's support for Hamas was "political" and defended Hamas as the party that responded to, rather than initiated, violence. "So we support their cause. We support the Palestinian state - independent Palestinian state... They are under the aggression, not vice-versa."

And on the possibility of a deal with "Israel", Assad said, "They are ready. They were ready, they are ready. But today the factors have changed, so the requirements will change at the same time. We cannot talk about the same conditions like what happened a few years ago, otherwise we will keep moving from a ceasefire to another conflict, from another breaking of this ceasefire, and so on. And the more blood you have, the more difficult to talk about peace will be."

The only means to stop the fighting, according to the Syrian president, was for "Israel" to end its aggression and for Hamas to accept to "military action" in return, after which the "Israelis" would withdraw from Gaza and lift the embargo on the area.

Assad concluded by confirming that Hamas was ready to stop military actions. "Yes. Of course. If the 'Israelis' stop, they are ready."