Tuesday, 26 April 2011

Haneyya: Fatah ready to reconcile when free from foreign pressure

[ 25/04/2011 - 09:29 PM ]

GAZA, (PIC)-- Prime Minister of the Palestinian government in Gaza Ismail Haneyya has confirmed that attempts to return chaos to the Gaza Strip have ended in failure and that ”security services that have managed to restore respect for personal and collective security of the Gaza Strip can never again allow it to be lost again”.

The statements come at a moment when popular protests in the Gaza Strip inspired by covert sedition calls from the rival Fatah party ruling the West Bank pushed the government in Gaza to call for urgent reconciliation with Fatah chief Mahmoud Abbas.

Abbas responded to the calls but set a list of conditions ahead of his departure, a move that showed his lack of interest in comprehensive reconciliation.

Haneyya said in an interview with the Palestinian Information Center that the Gaza Strip has been complexly and heavily targeted for several years by several parties, predominantly Israel and its allies. But these attempts have crumbled before the steadfastness and awareness of the people, government and living political and social forces, he said.

The Palestinian premier emphasized the government's interest in comprehensive Palestinian reconciliation and political plurality. He said the Palestinians need to come to a national consensus over a new strategy that guarantees the people's rights and preserves their constants.

”We seek a serious and genuine reconciliation in order to ensure complete success, so the Palestinians and the nation are not shocked by formalities, appearances and logos and then it becomes a setback, as has happened in previous agreements,” he said.

Haneyya highlighted that reconciliation will be realized when the Fatah decision becomes liberated from international and American pressure and when [Fatah] realizes that the negotiations approach has failed.

Haneyya went on to explain the strategic relationship Gaza has shared with Egypt. ”For us and for the nation, Egypt is the history, geography and the human, cultural, ideological, political, media, military, security and economic power.”

”Stability, prosperity and development in Egypt have had a positive effect on us as a nearby people that only breathe from Egypt's lungs,” Haneyya said.

He said the Palestinians await more direct steps from Egypt to break the siege and help rebuild the Gaza Strip, as well as to ease the flow of those traveling to and from the Strip through the Rafah crossing along the borders and supply the Strip with its basic needs, such as electricity, natural gas, fuel and construction materials.

Haneyya added that the Palestinian government is willing to deal positively with an Egyptian role in Palestinian reconciliation. ”We see Egypt as a mother and major state. Its role in Palestinian reconciliation is important and required. The government will deal positively with any Egyptian role or action to achieve reconciliation.”

In response to a question about Israel's recurring escalations on the Gaza Strip, Haneyya pointed out that resistance factions have reached a very high degree of awareness and have sensed the interest of the people. He added that the ”rifle of the Palestinians is conscientious, responsible and has reached adulthood.”

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