Luxembourg, June 16: Hamas is trying to blow up the Middle East peace process, British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said today, calling for an international crackdown on the radical Palestinian group. "There is no doubt at all that the terrorist group Hamas is literally trying to blow this process to pieces," he told reporters at a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg.
"We are taking firm action in the United Kingdom against Hamas, and now I believe is the time for the whole of the international community including the European Union to take action against a group which has made very clear that it has no interest whatever in being a partner for peace," he said. After a week of relentless Israeli strikes against Hamas leaders and militants, the movement's has appeared to be toning down its bellicose declarations against Israel and the Palestinian government.
While the group remains officially opposed to any ceasefire arrangement with Israel, it agreed to join Egyptian-brokered inter-Palestinian talks which are ultimately aimed at reaching a truce. Bureau Report