Hamas attacks Bush visit

The leader of the militant Hamas government in Gaza said today that President Bush’s visit to the region proved his bias toward Israel and hit Palestinian hopes for their own state.

Ismail Haniyeh spoke as Mr Bush ended a three-day visit to Israel and the West Bank, seat of the Ramallah-based government of moderate President Mahmoud Abbas.

During his visit, Mr Bush laid out US demands for a peace deal, which he said should be completed this year. He singled out Gaza – which Hamas violently seized in June – as a problem that could not easily be solved in the 12 months remaining in his presidency.

The international community is boycotting Hamas because of its refusal to recognise Israel’s right to exist and renounce violence.

Following Hamas violent takeover of Gaza, Mr Abbas formed his own government in the West Bank that effectively has no control in Gaza. The split prompted the renewal of peace talks between Mr Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

Mr Haniyeh said Mr Bush’s views on a peace deal were based on promises to Israel, and did not serve Palestinian interests.

“Bush gave Israel all the required pledges to solidify its occupation ... while he gave the Palestinians more illusions and slogans, and loose words that only express the deception which has characterised this visit,” Mr Haniyeh said.

Mr Haniyeh said that the millions of refugees and their descendants from the 1948 war that accompanied Israel’s creation must return to Israel.

“These concepts are totally unacceptable to us” he said. “A short visit of a few hours can’t reduce this historic right and shrink the future of Palestinian generations on the land of Palestine.”