A spokesman for Hamas reiterated on Wednesday that the terror group that rules the Gaza Strip would never recognize Israel's right to exist, a firm prerequisite for peace.

Sami Abu Zuhri insisted that Hamas would remain true to its principles and work for the realization of national reconciliation and unify the Palestinian people in service to their agenda of "liberating" every last inch of the Holy Land.

The remarks were made at the opening session of the 26th International Conference of the Association of Islamic Organizations (ESAM) in Istanbul.

Abu Zuhri boasted that Hamas had succeeded in transforming the "resistance" – code for anti-Israel terrorist violence – into a mainstream phenomenon, and called this a "source of pride" for all Palestinians.

He added that resistance could not be diplomatic alone, but must include armed violence.

Some in the West have hailed efforts to reunite Hamas with the Palestinian Authority as a move that would moderate the terror group.

Clearly, such sentiment is nothing more than wishful thinking.

PHOTO: Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri (Rahim Khatib / Flash90)