Hamas Calls For End To Israel Talks In Wake Of Arrests

[Purveyor]

AFP - Gaza's Hamas prime minister on Friday called on Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas to end all dialogue with Israel after troops arrested parliamentary speaker Aziz Dweik.

In a speech during weekly Friday prayers, Ismail Haniya also urged Abbas to reconvene the long-dormant Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), or parliament, whose activities have been frozen for nearly five years.

The parliamentary speaker, who is a member of the Islamist Hamas movement, was arrested by Israeli troops late on Thursday, sparking a furious response from Gaza's Hamas rulers as well as from Abbas's Fatah movement.

"The response to the arrest of Dr Aziz Dweik should be to end these failed and absurd negotiations," said Haniya, referring to a round of informal Israeli-Palestinian talks in Jordan aimed at finding ways to jump-start the stalled peace process.

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http://www.france24.com/en/20120120-hamas-calls-end-israel-peace-talks-after-lawmarker-arrest-aziz-dweik

[bemildred]

1. What talks? nt