Hamas leader underlines option of armed resistance

No attempt to throw out Palestinians’ armed resistance in the face of the Israeli occupation shall ever come true, deputy head of Hamas political bureau, Mousa Abu Marzouk said.

“Armed resistance has never been at the negotiation table; and it can never be so,” Abu Marzouk told the London-headquartered daily al-Hayat, wrapping up a stopover in Moscow.

“The resistance weapon is the Palestinians’ sole guarantee against the Israeli aggressions and it can never be put up for discussion,” he said.

“Hamas is ready to share decision-making with the Palestinian Authority (PA), chaired by Mahmoud Abbas, over the anti-occupation struggle,” he stated. “Decisions of peace and warfare are a collective national responsibility that all the Palestinians should take part in. There should be a total agreement over ways to handle the present political challenges and the future of the Palestinian people.”

Commenting on the national reconciliation file, the Hamas leader said Abbas and Fatah should cease crackdowns against the Palestinians in the blockaded Gaza Strip and urgently take up their duties regarding the crises rocking the besieged coastal enclave.

Abu Marzouk added that Hamas hopes that the PA lives up to Cairo’s efforts toward the reconciliation affair and to seriously work on holding democratic elections and to restructure the Palestine Liberation Organization and the National Council.

He expressed fears over the geographical restrictions, regional discrepancies (between the West Bank and Gaza), and limitations in the eligibility criteria during the projected elections.

Abu Marzouk denied reports on disagreements between Hamas leaders at home and oversees. “However, differences of opinion regarding a handful of matters do exist.”

As for Hamas’s ties with Mohamed Dahlan, Abu Marzouk said the latter is supported by 16 MPs, which makes him part and parcel of the national political scene.

"The measures pursued by the PA against MPs, including salary cuts and enforced retirement, had led those MPs to side by Dahlan,” he explained.

Abu Marzouk also stressed Hamas's fraternity ties with Iran, saying the Movement has always been keen to uphold fruitful bonds with all regional and international parties.

Regarding Hamas’s visit to Moscow, Abu Marzouk said the Movement’s delegation briefed Russian officials on the steps recently taken by Hamas to boost national unity.

He added that the visit comes as part of Hamas's endeavors to prop up Russia’s pro-Palestine support and urge Moscow to stand on guard to the attempts made by the US to blacklist Hamas as a terrorist organization.

Abu Marzouk further hailed Russia for dubbing Hamas a legitimate resistance movement and for its promises to promote the Palestinian cause.

(Courtesy: PIC)