DAMASCUS, (PIC)-- Hamas politburo member Saleh al-Arouri said Palestinian reconciliation efforts kicked off between his party and the West Bank-governing Fatah party in the West Bank have been frozen, adding that Hamas worked harder than the other side to achieve it. He called Fatah's recent threats to exile Hamas leaders from the West Bank "ridiculous."
"Matters relating to reconciliation are now frozen in place. We were more optimistic than the other party, because we were serious and sincere about reconciliation, and we believed that there was an atmosphere that would allow for progress in reconciliation, especially since they closed the door in the face of the Israelis at that period. But they should have opened the door to national unity and internal strengthening," Arouri said in an interview with the PIC.
"But now because of the dangerous rise in the PA's West Bank arrests, torture, and persecution of the resistance, the situation has unfortunately become very complicated."
"The movement's position is firm. We want reconciliation. It was we who mobilized this file. But at the same time, we cannot be expected to ignore the persecution of our people and go into frivolous marathon talks. I don't expect reconciliation rounds to resume in light of the present condition. There must be a real change on the ground."
In response to the notion of contacting Fatah to solve the crisis, Arouri said: "There was recently contact between Fatah and Hamas concerning resuming rounds. Hamas told Fatah that there must be an atmosphere for reconciliation to succeed, because the atmosphere in the West Bank is intolerably perturbed, so the topic was put off to an indefinite period."
Arouri said about the options available to Hamas as alternatives to reconciliation: "Our choice is firm. It is the choice of our people, the choice of resistance and unity, and preventing any civil war. We have shouldered this option since the first day not to let this choice cause an outbreak in civil war, and we are unfortunately paying a high price for this, because the second party is escaping responsibility."
Arouri, an ex-captive who was exiled from his land, called the recent threats by PA officers to exile Hamas leaders from the West Bank "ridiculous and foolish." He said: "As we know that they are unable to do that, we do not take it into account...In any case, they have denied the threats."
River to Sea
Uprooted Palestinian
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