A senior Hamas terrorist leader put Israeli concerns into bold relief today by telling Ynet, "It is totally clear that the hudna is simply a way-station, designed to give some rest to the Palestinians - but the resistance to the occupation will not stop." Sheikh Ismail Abu Shnab told Ynet that Hamas might accept the hudna, but that this will not mean the acceptance of the Road Map or the end of terrorism. "It certainly does not mean that we will put our weapons on the shelf, or that our resistance is over. It is just another station on our path of resistance." In this regard, the Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) has released the following important information: On June 4, speaking at the Aqaba summit, PA Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas said, "We repeat our renunciation of terrorism against the Israelis wherever they might be." However, ten days later, PA cabinet member Nabil Amr explained what that meant (Doha Al-Jazira Television, June 14, 2003): "I do not know why when the Palestinians denounce the word 'terrorism,' certain people think that this means 'resistance.' There is no text anywhere that says that the Palestinian people's resistance is terrorism, which we denounce...Yes, we denounce terrorism. Anyone who says that denouncing terrorism means denouncing resistance is doing an injustice to legitimate resistance and is in effect labeling it with terrorism." Muhammad Dahlan, responsible for ending terrorism on behalf of the PA, said today again that the purpose of the PA's negotiations with Hamas and Islamic Jihad is to reach an understanding, and not to make war with them. Israel has long demanded that the PA fight Hamas and Islamic Jihad, or at least disarm them.
