Haniyeh: 'We'll quit voluntarily, we'll support new unity government'

Former Palestinian Prime minister Ismail Haniyeh said on Monday afternoon that his cabinet “will quit voluntarily” and he would support the new unity government.

Speaking at a press conference following the swearing in of the national unity government, Haniyeh said that last-minute disputes over foreign minister Riyadh al-Maliki and the prisoners’ ministry were not intended to undermine the efforts of the new government.

“In the end, we accepted Al-Al Maliki, but insisted that the prisoners’ ministry has to remain part of the new government,” he said. “The prisoners are part of the Palestinian principles. We agreed that it remains a portfolio without a minister,” he added.

About the basis on which Hamas left the government, Haniyeh said: “We handed over the government on the basis of the Palestinian principles, including commitment to the liberation of the Palestinian lands and prisoners, as well as serving the Palestinian people.”

While speaking to journalists, Haniyeh counted the achievements of his government. “We protected the Palestinian principles, resistance, institutions, internal security and retention of infrastructure projects,” he said.

“We regained regional and international consideration of the Palestinian issue as one of liberation and not a humanitarian issue,” he added.

About the tasks of the new government, he said: “It has to end the 8-year old siege on Gaza, reconstruction of homes and institutions destroyed by Israeli occupation in two major wars, prepare for parliamentary and presidential elections, prepare for reformation of Palestinian institutions and carry out a social reconciliation.”

Haniyeh said: “We will support the new government and will cooperate with the new ministers regarding the infrastructure projects in order to maintain continuation of these projects. Reconciliation does not mean only ending the division, but agreement and cooperation.”

He insisted that all files were agreed to be carried out simultaneously based on what was agreed in Cairo and Doha. He thanked Qatar and Egypt for their role in ending the division and thanked Qatar and Turkey for supporting the Palestinians during the siege.

At the end of his briefing, he thanked the Palestinians for bearing the siege and consequences of resistance. He also apologised to them for their sufferings resulting from the internal division.