The Head of the Hamas Political Bureau, speaking at a press conference in Damscus said Washington was interfering in internal Palestinian affairs and weakening the postion of Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas adding that this was delaying efforts to release Gilad Shalit who Hamas captured in 2006. Maashal accused the United States of preventing the unification of the different Palestinian factions which he said would help efforts to release Shalit. In addition, Mashal warned Israel not to lanuch a military opration against Hamas. in a usual infammatory way saying saying the world should know Hamas would repel Israeli aggression.
