Hamas Claims That It Has Received A 'Thank You' Letter From Rice

Mahmoud al-Zahar is the leader of Hamas in Gaza. He claimed today at a press conference in Syria that American Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice recently sent Hamas a letter praising them for maintaining a cease fire in the Gaza Strip.

Mahmoud al-Zahar said that the alleged letter was sent via the U.S. Embassy in Damascus, Syria. Hamas received it from a visiting Arab foreign minister. During the press conference, Zahar didn't release the actual letter but he said it was in response to a formal letter sent by Ahmed Youssef to the Middle East Quarter. Youssef is a senior Hamas political adviser in Gaza. The Middle East Quarter consists of the United States, United Nations, European Union and Russia. Youssef stated in his formal letter to the Quarter that they and Israel has no reason or business to isolate Hamas from the region. WorldNetDaily had an exclusive interview with Youssef today and he commented on the alleged 'thank you' letter sent by Secretary of State Rice: ''Youssef said he had not personally seen any letter but he heard from Hamas leaders in Syria that they received the purported letter from Rice.'' Youssef also said that he has sent numerous letters to the Quarter in the last two years but has never received a response from any United States governmental official. In a separate interview today, a top Hamas official says that his group has been in communication with unnamed presidential candidates and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Blair is the Middle East Quarter's major Mideast diplomatic representative. This official believes that there will be a meeting between Blair and Hamas in the future. Hamas has always believed in the murder of Jews and the destruction of Israel as a nation. Former President Jimmy Carter met with leaders of Hamas in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and Syria in April of this year. After Carter's meetings with the Hamas leadership, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner confirmed that Paris held talks with Hamas and Norway's Foreign Minister Raymond Johansan said that he previously met with Hamas leader Ismail Haniya. Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum spoke to World Net Daily reporters earlier this year and said the following concerning the previous meetings: ''Hamas this year ''met a delegation from the European Parliament, from France, and from Italy and Norway and from the EU parliament and from Carter.'' Barhoum said that these people and the groups themselves support Hamas and have a plan to enable Palestinian interests generally.