Hamas says Kerry's speech didn't bring anything new

Islamic Hamas movement said that the speech of US Secretary of State John Kerry hasn't brought anything new that changes the US policy towards the conflict in the Middle East.

"Hamas wants to see a real change in the US foreign policies in a way that backs ending the Israeli occupation and be fair with our Palestinian people," Xinhua news agency quoted Hamas spokesman in Gaza, Abdulatif al-Qanoo' as saying on Wednesday.

He added that all former accords brought "us nothing but destruction".

In a speech Kerry addressed at the State Department and defended the US decision to allow the passage of a UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution last week demanding an end to Israeli settlements.

Kerry said it was intended to preserve the possibility of a two-state solution, referring to last week's UNSC Resolution 2334 that gained an overwhelmed voting of 14 member states in-favour.

"Despite our best efforts over the years, the two-state solution is now in serious jeopardy," Kerry said in his speech.

"Both settlement and occupation are illegal," said al-Qanoo', adding that the UNSC resolution "affirms this fact, so what is needed is not only speeches, but also a real interpretation of the resolution on the ground as immediate as possible."

Hamas spokesman slammed Kerry's remarks for saying that Hamas and other Palestinian military groups are building up underground tunnels in the Gaza Strip that harms the security of Israel.

"As the (Israeli) occupation has the right to own a large military arsenal and buys warplanes, Hamas and other Palestinian resistance groups also have the right to develop the needed abilities to confront the occupation," said al-Qanoo'.

--IANS

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