Jerusalem – Hamas, the Islamic militant group that rules Gaza is urging Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to boycott the funeral of former Israeli President Shimon Peres.
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Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri on Thursday said Abbas should “retract his decision to participate in the funeral of the criminal Shimon Peres.”
Palestinians have been split since 2007 when Hamas gunmen ousted forces loyal to Palestinian president Abbas from Gaza in bloody street battles. Repeated attempts at reconciliation have failed.
A senior Palestinian official earlier confirmed Abbas is attending the ceremony on Friday.
He said Abbas wanted to “send a strong message to Israeli society that the Palestinians are for peace, and appreciate the efforts of peaceful men like Shimon Peres.”
This is the liberal press’s attempt to show that abass Y’s is a peaceful “moderate.”