Posted on 07/05/2005 7:50:04 PM PDT by Salem
GAZA CITY (AFP) - The radical Islamist movement Hamas was at loggerheads with the Palestinian Authority after shunning an offer to join a unity government, and vowed to resist any bid to disarm its members. Khaled Meshaal, the Damascus-based overall leader of Hamas, told the leader of the dominant Fatah faction that he expected legislative elections to be organized swiftly, as he confirmed a decision not to join the government.
"We will not participate in this government for it is not the right mechanism," Meshaal told reporters in the Syrian capital after meeting Faruq Qaddumi.
"We must rapidly rebuild the PLO (Palestine Liberation Organisation) and organize legislative elections," he added.
Hamas has indicated its willingness to join the PLO, an umbrella movement of Palestinian factions is headed by Palestinian Authority president Mahmud Abbas.
But Palestinian prime minister Ahmed Qorei repeated later Tuesday his call for a government of national unity.
"We call for ... a government of national unity," he said as the cabinet held its weekly meeting. "We are at a crossroads."
"This is not a tactical appeal, but a strategic one, and has nothing to do with (upcoming parliamentary) elections or internal quarrels."
Qorei said his government "will continue dialogue with the different factions to discuss this subject."
And Palestinian civil affairs minister Mohammed Dahlan said the factions could still jump on board.
"The door is still open for all the factions, but whether they decide to participate or not, the Palestinian Authority will continue to work hard to complete all the dossiers related to the withdrawal," he said.
On Monday, a Hamas spokesman in the Palestinian territories rejected an initial offer mooted by Qorei.
Nevertheless, the faction insists that a unitary national committee be set up to supervise the pullout, slated to begin in six weeks.
Hamas has not only shut the door on joining the government but also made clear it will resist any attempt by Abbas to disarm it. Hamas has been behind the majority of anti-Israeli attacks during the nearly five-year Palestinian uprising.
"We will not allow anyone to disarm us," Mahmud Zahar, Hamas leader in its Gaza stronghold, said in an interview with Palestinian news agency Ramattan.
"Hamas will not remain with its arms folded in Gaza if the West Bank is attacked," he added, warning that militants would not hesitate to retaliate against any future Israeli attacks in the occupied territory.
"Our national cause is not connected to the West Bank, Gaza or even Jerusalem. Our cause in Hamas is Palestine, the whole of Palestine."
While Abbas has so far resisted Israeli pressure to disarm factions such as Hamas, he has repeatedly called for an end to the armed uprising.
Zahar also heavily criticized the Palestinian Authority and Abbas for apparently refusing to involve Hamas in preparations for next month's Israeli pullout from Gaza and for delaying parliamentary elections scheduled for July.
Abbas himself is due in Damascus later this week for talks with exiled faction leaders such as Meshaal.
"After this experience, the confidence is no longer there," Zahar said.
The Palestinian Authority and Fatah "should know that they're playing a dangerous game" for not coordinating the withdrawal with other factions, Zahar said.
"The land was liberated by resistance, not by negotiations, and we will not allow anyone to steal the achievements of the Palestinian people," he added.
The sharks already smell the blood in the water...
Personally I think you are right majority of Palenstins think rightfully so that PLO is corrupt
A Stab In The Heart [Video]
IsraelNationalNews - A Video on Gush Katif [Video]
The Nature Of Bruce ~
---"The land was liberated by resistance, not by negotiations, and we will not allow anyone to steal the achievements of the Palestinian people," he added.---
They are foul and detestable beyond words.
Thanks for your work and prayer.
Maybe all the hoodlums from both sides and the other terror gangs will end up killing each other, leaving whatever normal Pals exist to carry on.
I so wish.
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