Hamas slams Omani diplomat over pro-Israel remarks

GAZA CITY

Palestinian resistance group Hamas has decried a call by a top Omani diplomat for Arabs to ease Israel's fears for its future in the region.

Speaking on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Jordan last week, Yusuf bin Alawi, the minister responsible for foreign affairs in Oman, urged the Palestinians and Arabs to "help Israel overcome the feeling of being threatened".

In a statement on Monday, Hamas described bin Alawi's remarks as "running counter to all facts and logic".

"Under which moral or political logic should we ask the victim to reassure the executioner and occupier about his future?" Hamas asked.

"[Israel] is a usurper, which has the most powerful army in the region, practices a systematic killing and destruction against our people, Judaizes Jerusalem, desecrates holy sites, threatens the whole region and disregards international law," it said.

Bin Alawi's statements had already drawn fire from Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi during the forum.

"The Arab world has recognized Israel's right to exist. The Palestinians themselves recognized the Israeli right to exist... that is not the issue," Safadi, whose country has signed a peace treaty with Israel, said.

"The issue is that there is an occupation. Is this occupation going to end or not?"

Oman and Israel don't have diplomatic relations.

In October, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu paid a rare visit to Oman.