Radwan: We disagreed with Arafat on reconciliation and agreed on preserving constants, resistance and national unity

The Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas confirmed that the late Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat, “gave his life to preserve the national constants and not to make any concessions, particularly with regard to Jerusalem,” warning of a “serious” negotiated approach adopted by his successor, President Mahmoud Abbas.

Dr. Ismail Radwan, one of Hamas leaders, said on the fifth anniversary of Arafat’ assassination: “Arafat’s murder came in the context of his unwillingness to waive the Palestinian constants, especially in regards to Jerusalem, hence the plot to kill and get rid of him.”

Radwan told “Quds Press”: “Even during negotiations, President Yasser Arafat believed in the resistance choice and that Palestinian people’s power would be lost if this option is lost. That’s why with the existence of the resistance choice, a unity with differences was preserved.”

He continued: “We disagreed and agreed with Arafat; we disagreed with his negotiating track that had a negative impact on the Palestinian cause but we agreed on maintaining the constants, resistance and national unity.”

He pointed out that “there is no comparison between President Arafat and Abbas,” saying that “there is no doubt that if we compare between Arafat and Abbas, we will find that Arafat was not able to waive the constants, particularly in Jerusalem, and refused to abandon them, accordingly he was eventually assassinated though he was in the best position to support the Zionist enemy but he didn’t. Coming now to Abbas who reached a state of frustration as a result to the failure of the absurd negotiations and he is now seen as a man who conceded more constants.”

“President Arafat was keen on a certain limit of the national unity and urged resistance. Simultaneously, Abbas believes that the resistance is absurd. For him, the strategic choice is the futile negotiations and coordination with the occupation authority.  In his presidential term, we faced the Palestinian-Palestinian dispute and the continuation of the negotiating approach.”

Source: Quds Press