Senior Hamas terrorist Moussa abu Marzuk, deputy to Hamas chief Khaled Mashaal, visited Gaza on Thursday for the first time in 20 years, according to Arab media. Marzuk resides in Damascus and like other senior terrorists has been barred from Gaza by Israel.
Marzuk, who has been a marked man by Israeli intelligence and security officials, reportedly entered Gaza via the Rafiah crossing, and Hamas leaders said he visited family in Rafiah and left a short while later.
The report of his entry was viewed as another sign of increasing Hamas self-confidence since Operation Cast Lead, which had severely crippled the terrorist regime. Hamas attacked Ashkelon with three Grad rockets from Saturday morning until midnight, returning Israel closer to the situation that promoted the Olmert government to launch Operation Cast Lead to put an end to rocket attacks.
Hamas leaders on Saturday rejected an offer by the rival Fatah faction leader and Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas for a new unity government. Abbas said that Hamas had to respect a two-state solution, which would mean recognizing Israel, although the Samaria-based PA has not formally recognized the Jewish state.
Abba’s offer came as European Union (EU) policy advisor Javier Solana visited Ramallah.
Hamas official Ayman Taha stated, "We reject any pre-conditions in the formation of the unity government. Hamas will never accept a unity government that recognizes Israel.”
The failure to achieve unity comes on the eve of the first official visit to the region by United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who reiterated her support for an independent PA state within Israel’s current borders and existing alongside Israel.
Clinton said on Friday that Hamas must recognize Israel. She will attend a donors conference in Cairo on Monday. "I will be announcing a commitment to a significant aid package, but it will only be spent if we determine that our goals can be furthered rather than undermined or subverted,” she stated.