Prisoner support movement sparks efforts toward reconciliation

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The Palestinian Prime Minister in Gaza, Ismail Haniyeh, has said that respect and appreciation for the efforts of Palestinian prisoners should be shown through the achievement of national reconciliation and the resumption of national resistance.

Prime Minister Haniyeh said: “We must achieve reconciliation, with the assistance of our Arab brothers; however, American support for reconciliation must be in accordance with the requirements of the Palestinian national vision.”

Mr Haniyeh made these disclosures during a speech delivered at a special session of the Legislative Council held at the headquarters of the Ministry of Prisoners in Gaza City on Saturday, where he called for the resumption of resistance in the West Bank in collaboration with resistance in the Gaza Strip.

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Mr Haniyeh called on all Palestinians to provide support for the popular prisoner’s movement; humanitarian, informational and financial and expressed regret over the lack of response from the Arab summit to repeated calls for the establishment of a fund to support prisoners. He also asserted that the heads of the various Arab governments must assume their responsibilities towards the prisoners “because they are defending not only Palestine but the legacy of the Arab and Islamic nation.”

The First Deputy Chairman of the Legislative Council, Ahmed Bahr, stated that the idea of holding the meeting in remembrance of the prisoners was met with willingness from all deputies and that the prisoners needed to see serious steps taken to address the occupation’s policies against them. In solidarity with the prisoners from all the various Palestinian factions and standing in front of the Red Cross headquarters in Gaza City, Mr Bahar demanded that the Arab Parliament and the Organisation of Islamic Conference increase the level of importance given to the issue of prisoners and add it to their list of priorities during their next meetings.

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MEMO Photographer: Mohammed Asad