Gaza: Religious leaders stress need to hold onto resistance’s arms

Gaza Strip dignitaries, chiefs and scholars stressed the importance of the resistance’s weapons and its sanctity to the Palestinian people and called for ensuring that they will not be harmed.

The head of the High Commission for Tribal Affairs in Gaza, Hosni Al-Mughani, called for a firm response to all those who hinder national reconciliation.

In a speech at the first national tribal conference held in Gaza City, which aims to support national reconciliation efforts, Al-Mughani called for the formation of a dignitaries’ council to participate in accelerating the implementation of the reconciliation agreement.

“The resistance’s weapons are the honour, pride and strength of the Palestinian people,” he said, stressing that the resistance’s weapons should not be under the control of just one faction but should be under a unified military leadership of all factions.

Read: Christian priest calls for Palestinian resistance weapons to be retained

Al-Mughani stressed the important role Egypt can play in exercising pressure on politicians and leaders of the Palestinian factions in order to abide by the implementation of all the terms of the 2011 reconciliation agreement.

Maher Al-Houli, head of the conference and the Department of Fatwa in the Association of Palestinian Scholars, stated that national reconciliation is “a religious duty, a national necessity, and a civilised demand”.

“Religious, national, moral and social duty requires us to ensure the success of reconciliation and enjoy its outcomes, because it is the manifestation of our loyalty to martyrs’ blood, from the leaders and the people.”

He emphasised the need to implement the terms of the 2011 Cairo agreement and not to allow anyone to hinder and disorient its progression.

“Reconciliation shows the bright and civilised side of the steadfast and patient Palestinian people. It also strengthens the steadfastness of the prisoners … heals the cracks, reunites the factions and ends the tension of conflict.”