HANIYEH: HAMAS NOT SEEKING TO ESTABLISH A PALESTINIAN STATE IN GAZA

Gaza, 12 Jumadil Akhir 1436/1 April 2015 (MINA) – Hamas Deputy Leader Ismail Haniyeh denied claims that his movement is seeking to establish a Palestinian state in the Gaza Strip, Anadolu Agency reported.

“Hamas is not seeking to establish a Palestinian state in Gaza strip but to liberate the whole of Palestine from the Israeli occupation,” Haniyeh said during a seminar marking Palestinian Land Day on March, 30.

He added: “Hamas is working to end the siege on the Gaza Strip and rebuild what has been destroyed by the recent Israeli war,” Middle East Monitor (MEMO) quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday warned during the Arab League summit of attempts to establish a Palestinian state in Gaza via a long-term truce between Hamas and Israel.

During the seminar, Haniyeh also stressed the need to establish an Arab network to secure political and financial support for the Palestinian cause.

He called on the Palestinian leadership to assume its responsibility and embrace all Palestinian people, without exception.

Islamic Jihad Leader Mohammed al-Hindi said: “relying on Benjamin Netanyahu’s new government is useless, because Israel says there is no point in the negotiations while the Palestinian Authority still believes in the two-state solution”.

He stressed the need to achieve Palestinian reconciliation by preserving Palestinian national aspirations.

Fatah and Hamas signed a reconciliation agreement in April 2014 after nearly seven years of division. However, the Palestinian unity government did not assume its responsibilities in the enclave due to political differences between Fatah and Hamas. (T/P002/R04)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)