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Hamas: ‘We accept inclusive elections but demand guarantees that the result will stand’

October 3, 2019 at 2:45 am

Member of Hamas’ political bureau Khalil Al-Hayya in Gaza, 30 August 2018 [Mohammed Asad/Middle East Monitor]

Khalil Al-Hayya, a member of the political bureau of Hamas, has said that the US administration is fueling division between Arab countries.

On Tuesday evening, Al-Hayya told directors of media institutions and channel correspondents in Gaza that the US administration is growing closer to Israel.

He warned against the significant risks that pose a threat to the Palestinian cause in light of the actions of the US administration, the Arab and Islamic situation and the ongoing Palestinian division.

He pointed out that Israel’s inability to form a government is proof of the country’s fragility.

The member of the political bureau said that Hamas supports the resistance in the West Bank, which he considered as the focus of the conflict.

Al-Hayya also said: “Hamas took the initiative in all the successive reconciliation events and highly appreciated the national effort to introduce unity and end the division. We found this initiative to be consistent with what was signed, and we agreed without providing any condition. Therefore, we hope this new perspective would succeed. ”

Al-Hayya is hoping that Fatah movement will respond to the Palestinian factions’ initiative for national unity. He pointed out that the factions will monitor this initiative and present it to Egypt and the Arab League, warning against evading the entitlements of national unity.

Read: Senior Hamas delegation visits Orthodox Church in Gaza

He reiterated his movement’s position, which approves of the general elections, saying: “We welcome both presidential and legislative elections and we are for the National Council.”

He added: “We will support legislative and presidential elections if announced. We prefer these elections to be held following a national consensus and we challenge Fatah and Abbas to announce it.”

He pointed out that the elections serve to solve crises and problems, noting that they are ready for such a milestone event and to accept the result given by the ballot boxes.

He said they would seek guarantees that Fatah will accept election results and not act as it did in 2006 when Hamas won, but eventually the results were overturned.

Al-Hayya stressed that the settlement path adopted by “Fatah” proved to be a failure, paving the way for normalisation, expansion of settlements, and annexing the Jordan Valley. He pointed out that they will not accept “Fatah” dragging them into a failing track.

“We believe in the option of confrontation with the occupation through different fronts and by various means,” said Al-Hayya pointing out that the marches of return marked the re-engagement with the occupation.

“The marches of return and the breaking of the siege embarrassed Israel and shed light on our people’s response through the US moving its embassy to Jerusalem,” he added.

A-Hayya stressed that the measures taken to break the siege are ongoing on the ground and Hamas is following up with the mediators.

“The relationship and contact with Egyptians, Qataris and the UN are maintained daily to monitor the understandings of breaking the siege.”

READ: Hamas upset Qatar hosting Israel athletes 

He confirmed that the field hospital in northern Gaza, affiliated to an American charity has nothing to do with the government. He pointed out that there will be calls to dismantling this hospital if it did not meet the needs of the Palestinian people.

“The ones besieging Gaza and preventing access of medicine shall not object to any projects established there,” referring to the Palestinian Authority, which refused to set up the hospital.

He pointed out that the Ministry of Health in Ramallah refused to hand over Gaza’s share of the medicines donated by European countries, which amounts to 42 percent of the total received amount.

He stressed that his movement seeks to improve its relationship with all Arab, Islamic and regional parties and that they have no enmity with any party, including Saudi Arabia, which has arrested Hamas representative, Mohammed Al-Khodari.

Al-Hayya reiterated that no Hamas activists have intervened in any Arab or Islamic arena and that “if they are asked to go tomorrow to Riyadh, they will do it for the sake of the Palestinian people.”

The member at Hamas’ political bureau revealed that the movement is proud of its relationship with Iran, Hezbollah, Qatar, Turkey and all countries supporting the Palestinian cause. He stressed that Iran is a key supporter and will continue to back the Palestinian resistance, saying: “Our relationship with Iran and Hezbollah broke the Sunni-Shiite dispute in the region and erased the restriction of the movement of resistance to Gaza. The region is opting for the choice of respecting resistance. Meanwhile, he recognised that their relationship with Damascus is still the way it is.