KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 28 (Hrkh)-PAS calls the International Community, in particular the US, that they should accept HAMAS’ victory with an open mind and change their stance over the party’s role in the Middle East.

PAS Secretary General, Dato' Kamarudin Jaffar in his statement said, America in particular must accept that the choice of government rests solely upon the Palestinian people.

Any future negotiation over the occupied territories undertaken by the European community or America will have to take cognisance of this fact, he said.

Yesterday, Hamas declared the winner in the Palestinian elections.

"PAS congratulates HAMAS on its victory in the recently held Palestinian elections. This victory is an endorsement by the Palestinian people of HAMAS’ role in struggling for the freedom and dignity of the Palestinian people.

"The Palestinian people have decided that HAMAS is the better alternative for realizing the aspirations of an independent Palestine and the return of their rights and freedom," Kamaruddin said in his statement.

For Kamaruddin, Israel’s continued oppression and terror and its continuous policy of settlement expansion in the occupied territories facilitated HAMAS’ victory.

This is the time for the world community to accept and respect the aspirations and decision of the Palestinian peoples’ verdict.

"There is no need to criticize HAMAS since it had won on a level playing field in an open and democratic election which is also what the Europeans and Americans want.

"The Palestinian people have freely accepted HAMAS as a legal and responsible party that is committed to the Palestinian cause and in restoring the rights of the Palestinian people," he said.

For PAS, any future negotiation over the occupied territories undertaken by the European community or America will have to take cognisance of this fact.

"We believe that HAMAS as much as the other members of the world community is committed to a lasting peace in West Asia without compromising the rights and interests of the Palestinian people as demanded by the Israeli regime," he said in the statement.

For PAS, this victory besides recognizing the work HAMAS has done so far for the welfare of the Palestinians, also proves that given the opportunity to ‘play on a level field’ in a truly democratic atmosphere, Islamic parties can come out as winners.

"PAS calls upon the world community to reject extremist views that have been propagated by Israel and move forward to assist HAMAS in its quest to establish a strong and stable government that would work for peace on a fair and just basis, not on the basis of aggressive, irrational and unjust precepts as forced upon by the Tel Aviv and its backers.

"It is now time to open a new chapter in the pursuit of West Asian peace in the framework of a just solution rather than one that is dictated by Israel," he said.

-zs