Hamas: Lieberman's threats of assassination do not scare us

A Hamas official on Friday said threats by ultranationalist Israeli politician Avigdor Lieberman, who was offered the position of 'defense' minister at the Knesset ('Israeli Parliament') a day earlier, would not scare the movement’s leaders.

Member of Hamas’ politburo, Fathi Hammad, said Lieberman’s threats of assassinating Hamas political and military leaders would not affect the movement, during a protest to commemorate the 1948 Nakba held in the western part of Gaza City.

“We do not call for war, but we would fight if it was imposed upon us,” Hammad said.

Hammad added that acting Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas “does not have a place in the leadership of our people and he should step aside.”

During the protest, demonstrators burned pictures of Zionist Regime Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Lieberman, and now-former Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon.

Lieberman, a leader of the far-right Yisrael Beiteinu party, has threatened to assassinate Hamas leaders, notably declaring in 2014 that murdering Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal would be the only way to deter future tunnel construction in the besieged Gaza Strip.

Lieberman also regularly calls for the overthrow of the Hamas government in Gaza, and has advocated for the dismantling of the Palestinian Authority.