Hamas official criticises PA's 'secretive' approach

A senior official from the Palestinian government in Gaza has accused the Palestinian Authority (PA) of being "secretive" about negotiations with the US and Israel. Youssef Rizqa, Political Adviser to the Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, said that the West Bank groups' silence towards the Palestinian people and parties does not make sense. Ahead of US Secretary of State John Kerry's trip to the region to discuss Israel settlements, Rizqa said: "It is wrong of the Palestinian Authority not to inform its people, other parties, and the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO) about its plans for the settlements. "This secrecy approach has caused confusion, and resulted in ordinary Palestinians losing faith in the authority's work," he added. The Hamas official argued that his faction made its policy clear towards settlements and any potential negotiations well in advance. "From the beginning, Hamas, and a number of political analysts said that the US does not have a view on the settlements; because it cannot put pressure on Israel. "Hamas knows of America's stance towards Jerusalem, settlements, refugees, and we have spoken about this many times." Senator Kerry is planning to meet Israeli and Palestinian officials during his visit to the region next week.