Rebuffing the incoming Palestinian prime minister, the leader of Hamas said Wednesday the militant group will not disarm, agree to a truce or join the new Palestinian government. In a rare public appearance, Sheik Ahmed Yassin struck a defiant tone against incoming Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia, who has complained of the “chaos of weapons” in the Palestinian areas, proposed a comprehensive truce with Israel and invited Hamas into his government. The setting of Wednesday’s news conference reflected Hamas’ growing concerns for the safety of its leaders. Yassin spoke to journalists at a mosque, presumably a site Israel would not attack because of religious sensitivities. He also was not flanked by senior Hamas officials, as would have been customary. Yassin, along with other Hamas leaders, has been marked for death by Israel. He survived a Sept. 6 airstrike, and has only left his home once since then. Full Story
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