HAMAS leader Khaled Mishaal held a news conference in Cairo last Friday.
He began by saying: ‘We are now in Cairo on the first leg of a tour of a number of Arab, Islamic, and world countries. . .
‘I would like to talk about the Mecca Accord, the outcome of which has become clear to everyone. . .
‘As has been clear to all, the Mecca Accord has come to reality as a result of the efforts exerted also by numerous parties, topped by Egypt, Syria, and Qatar, who played direct roles in making it succeed.
‘This is in addition to the initiatives made by a number of Arab leaders out of their concern over the Palestinian situation – leaders such as those of Sudan, Yemen, Libya, the Arab League, and the Organisation of Islamic Conference. This is also in addition to the Palestinian mediation efforts that I mentioned previously and the Palestinian prisoners’ support. . .
‘Concerning the Palestinian responsibility, it revolves around respecting, adhering to, and defending the agreement. I believe that brother Abu Mazen’s (Mahmud Abbas) tour is taking place within this context, similar to the Hamas leadership’s tour.
‘We are defending this accord through our commitment to it and in light of it being implemented on the ground. . .
‘The second phase is expediting the formation of the government. You have seen that the train has been put back on track. As brother Ismail Haniya, the designated prime minister, has promised, the government will be formed within the three weeks specified for this purpose.
‘One week has elapsed and there are still two weeks remaining, during which we hope that the formation of the government will take place expeditiously.
‘The other step that the Palestinians are bound to take is partnership; not between the Fatah and Hamas Movements only, but starting with them towards a comprehensive national partnership so that we will shoulder the responsibility together. Palestine has a place for all of us and needs us all.
‘Another step is reconstructing the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), as it is the container or the house under whose ceiling all Palestinians are sheltered and it maintains the unity of Palestinians inside and outside the territories. The PLO shall be the framework within which we achieve our national rights.
‘The last Palestinian responsibility is to find the time, after all of the above, to serve our people, implement reform programmes and combat corruption, build the Palestinian society, and engage fully in national issues.
‘We should be engaged in how to end occupation, protect our people from occupation, defend and restore Jerusalem, maintain the right of refugees to return, confront the Israeli wall and settlements, and release the Palestinian prisoners. We should tackle all these national concerns within a unified Palestinian effort.
‘Concerning the responsibility of Arabs and Muslims who are our kinsmen and roots, I would cordially like to call on them, since they are in the same trench and share the same responsibility, to fulfil three things: First, to protect and sponsor the accord in order to become entrenched in the Palestinian arena, particularly given that there is a sponsorship for the accord and we want this sponsorship to continue.
‘This sponsorship is welcomed by the Palestinians because it serves and helps them.
‘Second, to expedite lifting the siege imposed on our people, particularly because the Arabs are capable of breaking the blockade. It is true that there have been obstacles preventing the breaking of the siege due to the US stand and that the Arabs, despite their willingness, were unable to transfer money into the territories; but in light of the Mecca Accord, the Arabs can now take a practical measure to break the siege.
‘There are Arab funds – our Arab and Muslim brothers did not refrain from extending financial aid to us – and we want these funds to be transferred to Palestine. We have two related decisions to this effect, one by the Arab League and the other by the Organisation of Islamic Conference.
‘The money is there and what is needed is to transfer it to Palestine to support our people; alleviate their hardships; pay civil servants’ salaries; and revive the Palestinian situation, which is suffering from the unjust mass sanctions that the United States and Israel have imposed on them.
‘The Arabs are asked to take such a step as a model to be followed and to encourage the adoption of an international stand that would break the siege.
‘The third call on the Arabs and Muslims is to defend our Palestinian arena from foreign intervention.
Frankly speaking, the main reason for Palestinian infighting is foreign intervention, in such a way that it made it hard for one Palestinian to come to an understanding with another, share a national government together, or reach an accord unless we implemented the Quartet’s conditions or complied with foreign intervention.
‘I cordially ask my Arab kinsmen to intervene on our side to defend the Palestinian arena from foreign interference. We, the Palestinians, are shouldering the responsibility with enlightenment and awareness and are against any foreign intervention in our arena.
‘Concerning the international responsibility, the first step we want the world community to take is to break the siege. I mentioned yesterday that the siege is a crime, as it was in the past and continues to be in the present, and is unjustified.
‘However, in light of the Mecca Accord and the formation of the national unity government, the continuation of this siege should cease at once. . .
‘We should not give in to the US stick; rather, the Americans should alter their stand now and not to freeze the international stand behind theirs. Although the US stand is influenced by the Israeli stand, I nevertheless believe that the US Administration can correct the mistake it has made against the Palestinian people.
‘The second point is to respect the Palestinian will and accord and to deal positively with the new Palestinian Government. . .
‘Today, the Israelis issued something like a fatwa in which they warned against contacting the Palestinian Government and Hamas. I believe that there is no concern by either the Arabs or Muslims about this Israeli fatwa, and I also believe that the world community, upon which Israel has become a burden, will not pay attention to this fatwa either. I advise the Israeli leaders to change their attitude, or else they will sustain more losses.
‘Amid this atmosphere, it has become time to release all Palestinian ministers and legislative and municipal council members, with Dr Aziz al-Duwayk being first and foremost. This man of struggle is the head of a legislative institution, and I call on Arab, Islamic, and world parliaments to exert pressure on Israel in order to release Dr Aziz and his brother ministers and parliament and municipal council members.
‘Concerning the issue of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, I read in the Israeli press two days ago a message from the soldier’s father holding me responsible for his capture as if we are the party that is hampering the prisoners’ exchange.
‘I call on Shalit’s father – whose feelings as a father are appreciated because we are also human beings and appreciate humanitarian feelings – to realise two facts, although his son was heavily armed to kill our people: First, if he belongs to a family who holds humanitarian sentiments towards its son, we have 11,000 Palestinian families whose sons, daughters, and children are in Israeli prisons. Second, the ball is in the court of Israeli leaders, because they are the ones who are obstructing the prisoners’ exchange.
‘Sisterly Egypt is exerting appreciated efforts in this regard and we are following up on these efforts.
During our visit to Egypt, we agreed on important steps concerning this issue, but what hampered the expeditious release of prisoners were the enemy’s leaders. Gilad Shalit’s father should send his message to the appropriate side: His leadership, not Hamas’s leadership.
‘Concerning the Al-Aqsa Mosque, Israel is playing with fire and I have said this several times before. . .
‘Finally, in the wake of the Mecca Accord, I believe that we are ushering in a new phase. We are not only calling for breaking the siege; dealing with Palestinian legitimacy; and rectifying the mistake that has continued for one whole year, represented in the siege, plotting, impoverishment, and the turning of backs on legitimacy; we are also pointing out that the United States and Israel had been staging an organised campaign against our people, who proved that they cannot be crushed and that Hamas cannot be subdued or ousted from the arena.
‘It should deal with this reality and the present opportunity should be taken to enable the Palestinians to fulfil their national rights, which is a historical opportunity.
‘The Palestinians and the Arabs have consensus on a national and pan-Arab joint political programme representing a common denominator of the nation’s programmes for Palestine; namely, a Palestinian state within the 4 June 1967 border with Jerusalem as its capital, a state with full sovereignty without settlements, the release of all prisoners, and the right of refugees to return.
‘This is a chance that the world community should not lose.’
