Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh reveals direct talks with Fatah

The head of the Hamas Political Bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, revealed on Sunday that the movement is involved in direct talks with Fatah. Haniyeh made his comment when speaking to Qatari journalists and media.

The former Palestinian Authority Prime Minister noted that there are plans to organise a conference to provide a platform for him and Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas to address the people of Palestine. He also revealed that the direct meetings between Hamas and Fatah are the first in 10 years.

“Hamas does not have any restrictions or conditions for restoring Palestinian unity,” he explained, pointing out that his movement is open to any initiative by any mediator to bring the Palestinians together. “There are no justifications for Oslo,” the Hamas chief added, because it divided the Palestinians.

Haniyeh said that Hamas has three priorities to undermine the “deal of the century”: Palestinian unity, mechanisms to face the deal, and the organisation of Palestinian relations with the Arab and Islamic world. Hamas does not propose itself as an alternative to the PLO, he insisted, but it hopes to see the PLO rebuilt on a strong base.

Talks with Fatah have no preconditions as far as Hamas is concerned, stressed Haniyeh. That also applies to any other faction if the aim is to reach agreement on resisting the Israeli occupation.

The Arab and Islamic world, he concluded, is “our real depth” because Palestine is an Arab and Islamic issue and the deal of the century is not targeting Palestine alone, but is targeting the whole region.

Source: MEM