Hamas claims Obama's visit is political move

Palestinian group Hamas has claimed that US President Barack Obama's upcoming visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories is a political move aimed at giving himself some time to calm the Middle East situation. Hamas official Salah al-Bardawil issued a press statement on Wednesday in which he said that the American president would fail to achieve notable progress during his trip, due to Israel's intransigence. He added that the US government wants to "gain time through calming the situation" and to stop Israel from paying the price. Bardawil said: "We hope that Obama’s visit would lead to pressure on the Israeli government to ease its blockade against the Palestinian people." The spokesperson warned the Palestinian Authority (PA) against wasting its time in meeting Obama "for the benefit of Israel," and stressed that Obama’s visit could have a negative impact on Palestinian reconciliation plans. He condemned plans for Obama to meet Israeli officials in Jerusalem, adding that any such move would give legitimacy to the Israeli policies towards Jerusalem. Bardawil called on the American president to cancel his visit to Jerusalem, saying, "we advise Obama to stand away from Jerusalem and talk about it as the capital of Palestine."