Hamas, PFLP slam Obama's speech at UN

Palestinian opposition groups, including Gaza ruler Hamas movement, slammed Wednesday U.S. President Barack Obama's speech earlier at the UN General Assembly.

The Palestinian groups, Hamas and the Popular Front to Liberate Palestine (PFLP), criticized Obama's speech.

Taher al-Nounou, spokesman of the deposed Hamas government in Gaza, told Xinhua that Obama is fully "biased to the Israeli occupation," and "his speech fails to give the Palestinians any hope to gain back their legitimate rights."

"When Obama mentions Israel as a Jewish state, it means that the United States had responded to Israel's demands," he added.

"One of the Israeli demands is erasing the right of return for the Palestinian refugees," said al-Nounou.

Asked about the three-way summit of Obama, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Tuesday on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session, al-Nounou said "this process has no credibility."

"The aim that had been achieved out of this meeting is just to break the strict Palestinian position, which rejects any meetings, contacts or talks before Israelis stop settlement," said al-Nounou.

He added that "there has been nothing new to be offered to the Palestinians by both Obama and Netanyahu. Therefore, the continuation of such meetings will be harmful to the Palestinian cause."

Meanwhile, deputy chief of the PFLP Abdel Rahim Mallouh said in a press statement that Obama's speech is considered "a retreat to his previous positions towards resolving the Palestinian question."

"Saying that he is committed to achieve a just and a comprehensive peace between Israel and the Palestinians was not enough. He should be committed to the implementation of the related international resolutions," said Mallouh.

The top PFLP leader added that "If Obama really wants to end the conflicts and achieve peace; he has to show more seriousness in pressing on Israel to be committed to the recognition of the Palestinians legitimate rights, instead of just pressing on the Palestinians."

Despite Hamas criticism of Obama's speech, the prime minister of deposed Hamas government in Gaza Ismail Haneya Tuesday addressed a letter to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, urging the support for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the territories occupied by Israel in 1967.