A member of the Hamas political bureau member has said that the movement is looking forward to starting a new phase in its relations with Egypt. Mahmoud Al-Zahar made his comments while speaking to members of the journalists’ syndicate in Gaza.
He noted that this may include holding a number of meetings with the Egyptian authorities to prove that there is no intervention on Hamas’s part in Egypt’s internal affairs, especially in the Sinai Peninsula. Indeed, stressed Al-Zahar, there is no evidence that Hamas is working against Egypt on either a security or political level anywhere, or interfering in the internal affairs of any Arab country.
On a separate note, the Hamas official also stated that the movement does not seek to engage in any confrontation with Israel and that the tunnel network on the border is for defensive purposes. “However,” he added, “if the Israelis launch an attack on us, we must defend ourselves.”
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As for reconciliation with Fatah, Al-Zahar said that the chances of it going ahead are slim, despite years of international efforts to achieve unity.