Hamas invites Hollande to visit Gaza to see the ‘tragedy and suffering of its residents’
Spokesman Fawzi Barhoum calls on French president-elect to make the Palestinians a national priority
Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum invited French president-elect Francois Hollande to visit the Gaza Strip, “to see firsthand the tragedy and suffering of its residents,” the Walla news website reported Tuesday.
Barhoum also called on Hollande to make the Palestinians a national priority and to respect the Palestinians’ democratic choice of Hamas.
Hollande, from the left-leaning socialist party, won a tight race for the presidency of France on Sunday, narrowly beating out incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy. He enjoys wide support from far-left parties in France and his victory caused French Jewish groups to worry that anti-Israel groups would gain a boost from his presidency.
Though Western leaders often visit Ramallah, the administrative capital of the Palestinian Authority, they rarely venture into the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip. While in office, Sarkozy lobbied on behalf of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, who was held in Hamas captivity in Gaza for over five years.