Member of Hamas’ International Relations Office Basem Naim reiterated on Tuesday his movement’s rejection to the US Middle East envoy Jason Greenblatt’s remarks in which he highlighted Washington’s willingness to launch a “dialogue with the governments hosting Palestinian refugees.”

In a press release, Naim stressed that the US administration not only was biased towards the Israeli occupation but also fully adopted the Israeli narrative that promotes liquidation of the Palestinian cause, including Palestinian refugee issue.

“That Greenblatt gives the Jews who had been living in Palestine thousands of years ago the right to return any time and from anywhere around the globe to settle in Palestine while denying the Palestinian refugees their right to return to their lands from which they were forced out 70 years ago is bizarre,” Naim added.

Warning against the US vision on the Palestinian cause, which goes in line with the Israeli narrative, Naim said that the Palestinian refugees realise the risks posed to their cause and thus would not accept any solution that does not guarantee the minimum level of their rights.    

Naim explained that the Palestinian people in the West Bank, Jerusalem, Gaza, and the 1948 occupied territories would not accept less than their return to their homeland and compensation for damage resulting from years of displacement.

Meanwhile, the Hamas official praised the UNRWA Commissioner-General Pierre Krähenbühl’s stance towards the Palestine refugee issue.

While briefing the UN Security Council this week, Krähenbühl said that the Palestine refugees deserve a just and lasting political solution to their plight, stressing that UNRWA was determined to honour the mandate given by the UN General Assembly.  

 “This position deserves appreciation and respect…It is a very advanced position in defending the Palestinian refugees’ right to return to their lands and being compensated for years of refuge and highlights the importance of UNRWA to help the refugees and protect them until their issue is resolved,” the Hamas official said.

Naim reaffirmed the Palestinian people’s stance on the refugee issue and their individual and mass right of return and to compensation, adding, “We will fight beside all free people to preserve this right and facilitate the work of UNRWA in all its fields of operations.”