HAMAS: UNIFIED PALESTINIAN WOULD HELP GAZA AND WEST BANK

Gaza, 16 Safar 1435/19 December 2013 (MINA) –  The prime minister of Palestinian government in Gaza Strip, Ismail Haniyeh invited Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday (19/12) to a meeting to discuss the formation of a unity government.

It is necessary to discuss the political agenda of the hoped-for unity government, in line with a reconciliation agreement reached in Cairo in 2012, Haniyeh said in a speech he delivered to the al-Quds Scientific Conference in Gaza City as quoted by Maan News Agency as well as Mi’raj News Agency (MINA).

Haniyeh stressed that the agenda of the unity government should be to protect Palestinian resistance and nonnegotiable principals, and to implement ideas that would help both Gaza and the West Bank.

Disagreement between Palestinians encourages the Israeli occupation to continue, Haniyeh said, adding that Palestinian rivalry should come to an end and be replaced by national unity and reconciliation.

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“The only battle our people should fight is against occupation,” Haniyeh said. “We should not be fighting any battles against Egypt or Ramallah or others.” 

Consensus on a joint political agenda is necessary to organize the work of all Palestinian nationalistic and Islamic forces, he added.

Hamas spokeswoman Isra Mudallal told Ma’an that Abbas has not yet agreed or refused to form a unity government with Hamas.

“The pressure is on the Palestinian Authority,” Mudallal said. “Haniyeh has been calling for an agreement.”(T/P03/P04)

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Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)

 

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