Ahmadinejad, hosting Abbas, offers to mediate reconciliation talks with Hamas

Iranian president boasts ‘We are the only country which has never recognized the Zionist regime’

By Ilan Ben Zion 31 August 2012, 11:14 pm 1 Edit

Ilan Ben Zion, a reporter at the Associated Press, is a former news editor at The Times of Israel. He holds a Masters degree in Diplomacy from Tel Aviv University and an Honors Bachelors degree from the University of Toronto in Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations, Jewish Studies, and English.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad met with his Palestinian counterpart, Mahmoud Abbas, on Friday and urged him to revive reconciliation talks with Hamas.

“All Palestinian groups should be united, because then they will have more chance of freeing their land,” Ahmadinejad told Abbas during the Palestinian leader’s visit to Tehran for the Non-Aligned Movement summit.

Ahmadinejad offered to mediate negotiations of “understanding and unity among all Palestinians” whenever Abbas and “other Palestinian brothers in different groups are ready.” He offered to host the Palestinian reconciliation talks in Tehran.

Regarding the Palestinians’ other neighbors, Ahmadinejad maintained Tehran’s virulent anti-Israel language saying, “We are the only country which has never recognized the Zionist regime and we have believed and believe now that they are occupiers who have forced their way to the region and are killing Palestinians.”

Abbas replied to Ahmadinejad’s offer by saying he was “aware of the value of unity and reconciliation in Palestine and I know that Israel more than anyone is pleased with differences among the Palestinians.” He added that he was “ready to resume talks with our brothers in Gaza,” according to Middle East Online.

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